 
Devotions to Bring Peace During Troubled Times

Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Copyright by Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Smashwords Edition

Acknowledgement

I thank Jesus Christ, for these beautiful words that He has given me over time! If it wasn't for His wisdom; then there would be no words to write. Jesus is the main source, for everything in my life and I know that just as these words have healed my heart and soul; they will also touch your heart in a very special way.

Through time, I have come to see that Jesus' words are the only remedy and cure, for what ails me; whether it's a physical or emotional need. His words also have a way of soothing the mind, from the cares and worries that attempt to take over our thoughts, while going through times of distress.

In addition, I would like to dedicate this book; to those who are going through very difficult moments of pain and heartache, in their lives. Our circumstances have a way of leading us down dark and dismal paths that can allow us to feel, as though we will never be able to press on in life; but when we use God's words of hope to become medicine, to our hurting souls and spirits; then once more, we can see a glimpse of light; that can keep us focused on a powerful God, rather than a weak circumstance.

Introduction

Are you looking for the key that can unlock the circumstance; that has been attempting to keep you in bondage? Have you tried everything on your own; only to find yourself still at the bottom of your pit of despair? Come and find renewed hope and a way that will lead you out of your wilderness of despair, through Author Diane K Chamberlain's newest devotional e-book..."Devotions to Bring Peace During Troubled Times." The devotional writings within this book were first given to the author, as she faced overwhelming moments of pain and heartache and became the tools that would cultivate her heart and produce new and lasting growth.

"Devotions to Bring Peace During Troubled Times" is filled with 99 inspirational devotions that will shed light, on the darkest moment of despair; while replacing the difficult moments we experience in life; with a lasting peace that can only be found through Jesus Christ. The devotions can be used on a daily basis or they can be used as a means of inspiration, for a specific need. As the author found her own way of peace, during the deepest darkest moments of trial; she is now sharing these beautiful words; that were truly inspired by God; as a means of also reaching out to others, who live in despair.

Table of Contents

An Understanding God

Allowing Faith to Become our Sight

Good Cannot Produce Evil

Turning Our Complaints into Prayers

A Settled Back Feeling

God Sees a Way When We Don't

Renewal through Christ Alone

Undefeated with God

Is Christ Clearly Seen through our Problems?

A Limitless Strength

God Always Has the Right Answer

God Already Holds the Answer to Our Needs

Escaping the Trap of Circumstances

Why Do We Feel Forsaken

A Greater Faith through Adversity

A Reason behind the Trial

Removing Our Focus Away from Despair

The Main Source of Provision

When God Allows the Fire...He Will Walk Us through It

A Constant Battle

Leaving Our Desires behind to Find Gods

A Personal Talk with God

A Reason to Rejoice Through Suffering

A Light that Shines through the Darkest Trial

Belief...a Tool that can Strengthen Weakness

Defeating Satan through a Positive Heart

A Short Season of Suffering Compared to an Eternity in Heaven

A Relationship Instead of Religion

Turning Away from Fear and Doubt to Focus on God's best

A Purpose for Suffering

Walking Away from the Past to Walk Towards Something Greater

A Good Friend

He's Been There All the Time

Beginning a New Week with God

A Settled Feeling

God's Footprints

Ignoring the Problem to Discover Sufficient Grace

God Crowns Our Efforts with Success

A True Source of Provision

Our Afflictions are never a Waste

Obedience Leads to Renewed Steps of Hope

Where is Our Faith?

Who are we Devoted too?

Is the Strength of our Circumstance Stronger than God?

We Are Nothing without God

Recognizing God's Power

Gods Mercies Renew Us through Times of Adversity

Comforted that we may Comfort Others

Loving God through Affliction

Fear Can Become a Roadblock to Trust

Trusting God All the Way

Turning Our Worry into Praise

Is Money Our god or is God Our Provider

Gods Promise of Love

Using Our Afflictions in a Greater Way

Does God Have the Rightful Place He Deserves in our Hearts?

God is Closest to the One with a Broken Heart

Finding God through Insult and a Broken Heart

Resting assured that God is in Control

Worthy of God's Love

God walks with us through the Seasons of our Lives

Loneliness Doesn't Mean that God Isn't Near

God Can Lift You from Despair

A Peace that Sustains

God Will Never Forget

Walking Away from Frustration to Discover the Peace of God's Presence

Renewed through Courage

Reflecting on God Rather than Adversity

A Sustaining God

God is Greater than any Circumstance

Destructive Feelings that can sever our Connection with God

A Cleansing through a Dirty Circumstance

The Armor that will protect us during Battle

Who's in Charge of your Circumstance?

Where is our Circumstance taking us?

A Heavy Burden of Grief

How do we react to Despair?

Plans for Good not for Evil

Participating with God to Overcome

God's Revitalizing Strength

God...Quietly at work for our Good

How is Christ Seen through our Circumstance?

Arms of Love that will carry us through Despair

God...a Mighty Shield of Defense

We Lose Something to Find Everything

Is your Circumstance Predicting Defeat?

A Humble Moment of Affliction

Arms of Love that Can Lift Us from Despair

Experiencing God's Presence through Weakness

Connected to God through our Thoughts

Shaking Away the Dust of Circumstance

God...the Only Way

Committed to God through Adversity

Are We Suffering Needlessly

Are we fighting a Battle Alone?

An Anchor of Hope

Words that Work for our Good

A Loving Friend

A Persistent Faith

An Understanding God

People preach that we aren't supposed to go through affliction because we are sons and daughters of the Most High God; but yet we see how Christ became the example of weakness, so that His Father's strength could be felt and experienced through the cross.

Today I would like to share a special verse with you in II Corinthians 13:4, which reads..."For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you." Paul uses the death of Jesus Christ, to illustrate that as Jesus was crucified in weakness but rose with God's great power; we too will face weaknesses in our lives; that we may rise above despair with a greater power that can only come from God.

Jesus became the example for us to live by. He taught us how to pray and how to share His love with others, even during moments of despair. The road He traveled wasn't always an easy one but His Father in Heaven was with Him from the cradle to the cross and so He will always be with us too.

Through our weaknesses, we gain a new insight into God and the power He possesses...only if we choose to do so but when we choose to take the rugged pathway alone...always aiming to make life work our way, then it's as if we have left God behind, while we face the giant circumstances alone.

We know that God's power is greater than any circumstance; but what happens when we lose touch with God, while going through these difficult times in our lives? We find that the circumstance begins to reveal its power in a way that weighs even heavier on our spirits.

No matter what we may be facing today; whether it's a light burden or a heavy burden...we need Jesus Christ to ride the storm out with us. He was crucified through weakness, so He understands our weaknesses too. When we remain connected to Jesus, while facing these difficult moments in our lives, then He will teach us how to rise above defeat, as He did, when He rose from the grave.

May we continue to trust in a God, who understands our needs and is more than willing to lead us from despair into a time of victory! May you feel the presence of a mighty God in your life today!

Allowing Faith to Become our Sight

There can be times when it's difficult to walk through a circumstance that we don't understand. Many thoughts can cloud our minds, until they seem to have overtaken us and caused us to fall beneath the weight of the problem.

In I Corinthians 13:12, it reads..."Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." Life can have its moments, when our circumstances seem to scramble up our thoughts, until we feel like a puzzle that can't be pieced together. We see the circumstance clearly but when it comes to understanding the circumstance, we begin to feel as though there is a piece missing to the puzzle that could answer each question that's going through our thoughts. These moments in our lives, can allow us to feel as though we are standing before a mirror at one moment; seeing clearly but when we walk away, the pieces seem to scramble up and we begin to feel lost once more.

There is a cure though...a remedy that can help us through these moments and that is Jesus Christ. Even though Christ allows some things to remain hidden during these present times of trial, there will come a day when we will know all the answers to our questions. When we can trust Him to take control of our lives, even when we can't understand why, then we are truly walking through a dark circumstance, with the light of His faith, shining brightly before us.

God never said the road would be easy and He never promised that we would have all of our needs supplied according to our own desires. He's just looking for people who will press on, with strong faith, while loving Him and knowing, without a doubt, that He will never forsake us.

I pray that we will learn to accept God's desires for our lives and when we cannot see beyond the difficult moments; we will trust Him for what we cannot see. May we continue to feel the presence of a great and powerful God in our lives each day!

Good Cannot Produce Evil

In Lamentations 3:33-36, it reads..."For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. (34) To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, (35) to deny a man his rights before the Most High, (36) to deprive a man of justice...would not the Lord see such things?"

We live in a world, where God seems to be the One who is blamed for moments of affliction. People say things like..."Why would a God of love and mercy do this?" and "Why has God done this to me, when He's supposed to be a loving God?" If we were to look closely to these verses, we would see a picture of a God who does not long to see such things happen to us. It's not His desire to see us suffer and it's not God who brings on such moments of pain and heartache.

We need to remember that God is a god that represents all things good, so why would good try to create evil in our lives? We need to point the finger at the one who is truly evil and that one is Satan. Yes...God could stop these moments but what we need to remember is that sometimes God allows these moments into our lives to better us.

I can see it now...Satan laughs into the face of God, while he seems to feel as though he has control over one of God's children; but while he's laughing into the face of God...God is taking the evil that we have been afflicted with and He's molding it and reshaping it into something greater, that will cause us to rise above despair and see God in a much greater way.

We, as children of the Most High God need to look through eyes that lead us to a god of great wisdom, so He can work through our hearts, to reveal the true story and purpose behind our moments of affliction.

I pray that we will be able to find the reasoning and purpose behind the affliction; that we may walk closer with God and further away from evil! May we truly know and understand the will of God for our lives each day!

Turning Our Complaints into Prayers

Do we find ourselves complaining more about our affliction or are we turning our complaints into prayers? In Romans 12:12, it reads..."Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

If we are living face to face with our affliction each day, then maybe we aren't talking to God enough. Our prayers to God should become like a daily journey, where we share each need...friend to friend, instead of just coping with our circumstance. We should feel close and at ease with God; to the place where we can share the good moments and the bad.

God is a god that can handle our prayers, no matter how dark and dismal they may seem. He longs for us to approach His throne and treat Him as a best friend...a friend who can do so much more than we could ever do.

There's a feeling of relief and peace that comes to a troubled heart, when we lay the whole circumstance on the line before God. We not only feel His peace; but we are also sending Him a message during this time, that says..."God please help me...you're the only One who can fix what's been broken within me." We can come to discover joy and peace in our lives, especially during the times of affliction, when we allow ourselves to sit and have a good chat with God...heart to heart.

God didn't die on the cross, just so we could stay tough and remain within the bondage of our circumstance. He's already waiting...sitting within our hearts, just so we can meet Him there and have a good talk.

No matter what your need may be today; God can handle anything because He made us and because He made us; He knows how to fix each broken part within us but before He can do that, we need to lay our needs before His feet, so we can begin the process of experiencing peace instead of despair.

A Settled Back Feeling

The true heart of a Christian can rejoice, even while going through affliction. When a Christian is going through great moments of trial; they should be able to have a settled back feeling that God is the One who is controlling the ship that's raging on this stormy sea.

In I Peter 1:8-9, it reads..."Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; (9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

Here stands before us a God we can't even see; but yet we love Him. Do we really understand how strong our faith is at this point? We love a god that can't even be seen; but is this where our faith should end? How is it that we can love a God that can't be seen but yet we can't send Him a message that we trust in Him enough, to rejoice through a moment of affliction? When we can rejoice through affliction, then we know in our hearts and spirits that God is in control and that no one can rise above His everlasting power. We are also telling God that we see Him as a great and powerful God that doesn't have to be seen because feeling His presence alone in our lives is enough to satisfy us and cause our faith to rise higher than our moments of despair.

Is our trust and faith in God as strong as our love for Him? When affliction strikes, do we fall apart and worry or do we settle back into the arms of a trusting God, where we know in our hearts that He will only do what's best for us and the circumstance we're facing?

Moments of affliction can raise its ugly head at us and try to convince us that it is greater and stronger then the God that we serve; but if we were to just settle back and think this through again, we would find that our God will never fail us and that He will do His best for our lives, which gives us a reason to rejoice.

God Sees a Way When We Don't

This afternoon I took some time to listen to the new videos I've now posted on the blog network. As I was listening to one of them; God was reminding me that He can make a way in our lives, even when we can't foresee it or fathom it. Even though our hearts are saying no way...God is saying there is a way.

As I was looking for something to read tonight; I was longing so much to find something in the book of Revelations; that would bring hope to many of us who live with one battle after another. The verse that God lead me to is found in Revelation 21:4, which reads..."And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."

There are times when I think we all just need a reminder, of the moments that await those who have truly placed their trust in God. Just think...God will reach down and wipe the final tear from our eyes one day soon. Nothing will bring heartache to our hearts anymore and we won't grieve over the loss of a loved one or friend. There will never be a reason for tears because there won't be any heartache or pain, for these will become a thing of the past.

Have you ever sat in bed...crying out because the pain won't settle down? Have you ever cried over a loved one or something that has hurt you to the very core of your being? We don't have to live for these moments much longer. A day will come when God will wipe the slate that once bore the words...pain and heartache and these words will become such a thing of the past, that we will never have to think on these painful moments in our lives again.

We know that pain and heartache can seem controlling, so that's why we need to slow down and meditate on the renewed hope, which God gives us in His word. These words of truth will keep us lifted up; until the day comes, when God will wipe the tears of pain and heartache away for the final time.

Renewal through Christ Alone

The winter months are not the only means of feeling the dormant and lifeless moments that try to enter our lives. We can live with chronic pain, grief, loneliness or any other need and begin to feel as though our lives have lost its form of happiness and hope.

What we need most of all right now; is to feel the breath of God upon us...breathing new moments of hope into our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits. In my first book..."You Are Not Alone In A Lonely World," I would like to share a poem that will help us all to find the hope once more that may have been taken away from us, due to the difficult moments we experience from day to day. The poem reads..."Breathe on me, "O Spirit," to heal every hurting part; to make my life in tune with You, so You can speak to my heart. So nothing is there but You and me, to have your perfect peace; as the dark places in my heart, pull away in sweet release. Then as Your breath pulls away, the darkness shall with it go; and my heart shall be brand new, with more love then I could ever know!"

Sometimes I think we just need a spiritual cleansing from God...a cleansing that will breathe deep within our spirits; to clean, repair and restore, what was taken away from us by Satan. We clean our homes, along with other things in our lives; but when do we take the time to meditate on God...a time when we take ourselves out of the picture, so God can work deep within us? There may be times when we need to just sit quietly before a powerful God; instead of trying to fight the circumstance. When we can sit quietly before His presence, then we are sending Him a message, that He is the only One who can mend and repair, what has been broken so deeply in within our lives.

Undefeated with God

While enjoying some time off; I began to think on how our lives can become monotonous, until we reach a point where we begin to feel like nothing ever changes, except for the moments that become more difficult.

Tonight, I've chosen a passage in Job 17:15-16, which reads..."where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? (16) Will it go down to the gates of death? Will we descend together into the dust?" In this reading...Job was giving up on hope and all he could see was death as a means of escape. The moments of affliction were beginning to take a toll on his life; as though the circumstance was trying to convince Job of nothing but hopelessness. Job began to wonder where God was and would God walk him through these moments and allow new blessings to enter his life once more.

In a similar way; we can feel like Job. We can feel as though our lives become drab and dormant. All we seem to experience is the same everyday events that accompany our pain and heartache but one thing we need to remember, is that God wants us to keep our eye on the prize, instead of getting caught up in the moments that will keep us in despair. If we can always have hope, that this too shall pass, then these moments of great difficulty won't seem to be so overwhelming.

Isn't it amazing how a circumstance or everyday living can become so monotonous, that we begin to convince ourselves that this is the way it will always be? We need to remember that with God we cannot be defeated; otherwise Satan wins the battle. Just because we are facing monotonous days; doesn't mean that God will leave us there forever. If we can see these moments as a moment of trial or testing, then we will be able to keep pressing on, with the assurance that God will walk us through these moments and give us His best; just as He did for Job.

Is Christ Clearly Seen through our Problems?

What's clouding our vision of God today? Could it be fear, doubt, pain, heartache, frustration, etc...? It's so easy to fall prey to one of these; that sometimes we don't begin to see what we are doing until we finally realize that our vision of God isn't as clear as it used to be.

In Romans 8:31-32, it reads..."What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won't he also surely give us everything else?" I love the way these verses read because God is trying to get across to us that He is the One who is always near, even when we can't feel His presence. These verses start out in a positive way and lead us to a piece of renewed hope.

Our circumstances can produce a film over the spiritual eye that causes us to feel as though God has become distant from us, while facing difficult moments in our lives. In the verses above, we are being assured that no matter what comes against us; God will always remain on our side.

Here is a God that could have stopped His Son's death at the cross but He chose not too because He knew that His Son's death would serve a purpose and one of the things that would come from His Son's death, would be for us to experience a God who is more than willing to give up everything, just so we could understand such a giving love. Let's refer back to the verses above and ask ourselves this question..."Won't He also surely give us everything else?" Why would a God of such love, send His only Son to a rugged cross and allow Him to give up His entire life for us; just to turn around and walk away? If He gave us His love at the cross, then He will surely give us, even more throughout our lifetime. The first thing we need to do, to experience the fullness of God's presence, is to allow Him, to wipe away our cloudy vision...a vision that has been collecting cloudy layers of fear, doubt, pain, heartache, and other symptoms of our circumstances. We need to allow the light of His presence to penetrate our vision instead, so all we see is His loving presence at work in our lives. Maybe it's time to do a little cleaning of the eyes today. Maybe if we could clean off the film of our problems, doubts and fears, then I'm sure that we would see less of our circumstance and more of God.

A Limitless Strength

This seems to be the week for talking on the Lord's strength. How many of us can say that we actually understand the strength of the Lord? Are we too busy comparing His strength to a man-made strength, that we find ourselves falling deeper into despair, while we allow a powerful God to become so limited in our lives?

God wants us to understand and know the depth of His strength, so we can become strong in Him, that Satan's old ways of tricking us become weak. Today, for the first time in a week, I went grocery shopping. My body still felt so weak and tired, from being sick and in pain but I knew that if I didn't get my body moving soon, that it would just continue to weaken. In a similar way, we can become weaker, when we allow our circumstances to dictate the kind of life we live. When we allow our circumstances to take us down to an all-time low, then we know who will be lurking around...waiting to press the "thorn" of circumstance in a little deeper.

It's so easy to quote Philippians 4:13, which reads..."I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" but are these words coming to life within us? Why would God allow this verse to be put in His word, if He never thought it would work for us? The verse doesn't say that we can do a limited amount of work on God's strength...no, it says that we can do ALL THINGS through Christ. If we could just see God's strength as a water fountain, then we would understand that His strength is never ending. It continues to pour down upon us, like a refreshing rain...soothing us and renewing us from the problems of the day. The problem we face, is that we become too weak, when we are too tightly focused on either our own strength or on the circumstance. We need to remember that the verse says that it's only by God's strength that we can do all things.

It doesn't matter what circumstance we are facing today because God's strength is enough for every one of our needs. He has just amazed me the past couple of days. Even through my own weaknesses; His strength truly came to light, as I was able to complete the task for the day. May we all continue to know the strength of a great and mighty God and may He truly reveal Himself through each new day!

God Always Has the Right Answer

This evening, as I was getting around from the day; God was reminding me of some words to an old hymn chorus and these are the words..."Farther along, we will know all about it; farther along we'll understand why. Cheer up my brother; live in the sunshine; we'll understand it, in the all bye and bye."

There are some things in life that we find difficult to understand. We find ourselves either wondering where God is or why He hasn't helped us. This song tonight became of great comfort and seemed to answer a lot of questions in my own life. We may not know why these things come to be in our lives and we may not fully understand the reason why God doesn't always answer our prayers, in the way we'd like them to be answered but all that God asks for us to do is trust Him. When we totally trust God, the questions seem to be replaced by His presence. We find ourselves stepping out of despair, so we can stand in the sunshine of His love. In turn...we find that His sunshine becomes a place of refreshment and sustaining power, while He continues to work on each need.

I guess that sometimes we need to quit asking the questions and instead, we need to listen for the voice of a mighty God. If it's His will for us to not understand right now, then that means that He has a reason...a reason that we may not fully understand but a reason that will teach us to trust Him more.

The hope we find in God, is that one day, He will sit down with us and answer the questions that have been left unanswered. At this present time, all He longs from us to do, is to enjoy His presence with a cheerful heart, while we bathe in the sunshine of His sustaining love.

God Already Holds the Answer to Our Needs

Today...God really struck me with a thought that I'd like to share with you. As I have been coming off of some medication and adjusting to more pain; I was shown today, that God holds our every need within His mighty hand. We can feel as though the problem never has an end and it's so easy to speak words..."that my God is with me" but when we face a tough test in our lives...what do we really feel for the moment? Do we really know that He's holding our need within His awesome and mighty hand?

God revealed to me today that when we truly give our needs to God; He doesn't just take the need away from us; but He holds the need directly in the center of His hand, so He will always have it close by...to work and reveal His mighty plan. There's a feeling that comes over a person, when they know that God hasn't let go of the need they are facing. We may see the eye of the storm...facing us head on but we can be assured that even though the storm seems fierce and overwhelming...that God is holding each and every need and He will NEVER let go of what we have given Him, until His work is made complete in us. God isn't a god who takes our need and places it on a shelf, with a "waiting number." No matter how many needs He collects in a day; still...His hand is strong enough to hold them all.

I don't know what you may be facing right now and maybe I don't fully understand your need; but there is a true God that understands and knows what you're facing today. Believe me...I know! I have felt stripped of everything in my life, except for the pain that rages within me. I know that Satan isn't pleased with what I'm doing for God; but just because Satan's desires begin to heat up within us; that's no reason to give up. We can be all alone in our circumstance on this earth; but when we reflect on Heaven; we know that He is still holding on to our circumstance and a day will come, when the sun will shine once more.

We need to remember that there is hope in God...not defeat...so let's continue to fight the battle together; knowing that our God is still holding tight to our needs! May you truly experience God's very best and may we all continue to fight the battles, until we are face to face with the one who always held our need within His mighty hand.

Escaping the Trap of Circumstances

Tonight I would like to share a couple of special verses that have been my stronghold, while going through very difficult times. The verses that I would like to share with you are found in Proverbs 3:5, 6, which reads..."Trust in the Lord completely; don't ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success." How many of us can truly say that we trust God completely, while walking down a stony pathway? It can seem as though the circumstance has a way of speaking to the spirit...only in the wrong way. We can find that the circumstance sets out little traps of doubt, fear and anxiety; to keep us from experiencing a full and complete trust in God. How are we going to find a real trust in God, if we are trying to listen to Him and the circumstance at the same time? All we find is that we are one confused person and before we know it; the negative messages begin to take a toll on us, until they win the battle for the moment.

When we find ourselves in one of these traps, we need to remember that there is still hope because God's mercies are new each day. We just need to get out of our beds in the morning and shake the dust of circumstance from our feet and begin once more. We need to remember that God isn't looking at our failures; as much as He's looking to see if we will keep trying. When we give in to the circumstance and all its meaningless messages, then we have just dumped ourselves into the hands of Satan. From there, Satan takes advantage of our weaknesses and he continues to pounce on us, until we cry out once more to God.

We all are going through one thing or another; but that doesn't mean that we have to end up defeated. I'm learning more and more in my own life, that it's how we look at the picture. If we are believing the meaningless messages that come from our circumstance, then we will never experience the loving hand of such a great God.

How many times do we cry out to God and say...where are you? If we were willing to keep trusting God with a complete heart and spirit, then we would know where He is...right beside us. He's been there all along; we are the ones who lose touch with Him, while listening to the meaningless messages that keeps us detoured and away from God.

Why Do We Feel Forsaken?

There can be moments in our lives, when we wonder if God has forgotten us. What causes us to think in this way? Let's read Psalm 77:9-12, which reads..."Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? (10) Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." (11) I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. (12) I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds." Could our minds be steered toward the negative way of thinking because we have forgotten the mighty works that God hath already done in our lives?

Satan can work towards shifting our way of thinking, by how we view the circumstance. He can set up snares of despair, so he can keep reminding us of the difficult moments we face.

In these verses, the psalmist is caught in a moment of despair, until he catches on to his own way of thinking. After realizing his error of thinking; he quickly turns to the moments when God had already worked in his life. He began to reflect on the difficult moments of the past, while remembering the times when God came to his rescue.

No matter what we may be facing today; God still remains undefeated. His timing may not always be our timing but God does sustain us, while reminding us of His past moments of faithfulness in our lives. Even though the circumstance tries to linger on; God's mercies give us a new start and a new way of thinking that will keep us close to God and all He longs for us to experience.

I pray that we will continue to be reminded of God's faithfulness, so we can remain away from the snares of evil. May you truly find God's very best in your life today!

A Greater Faith through Adversity

Where is our faith today? Are we reaching for the things that will send a message to God, that we long to be set free or are we too busy trying to figure out the problems we live with? Are we settling for the circumstance or are we using our faith to rise above it?

In Matthew 9:19-21, it reads..."And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. (20) And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: (21) For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." Is our faith greater than the power that comes from our circumstance? What are we experiencing the most in life? Here is a woman that lived with a blood disease for 12 years. As Jesus was passing through a crowd; she just knew in her spirit, that if she could just touch the hem of His garment, then she would be made whole. Was it the garment that healed this lady? No...the garment was what a symbol of her faith became. She could not see her healing but she just knew that if she reached out in faith and walked through the dark moments of her circumstance; that Jesus would meet her there and heal her. Are we reacting in a similar way to our day to day problems?

We may not always understand why some people come out of their circumstances, while others continue to remain in their moments of pain and heartache. Maybe God is allowing these moments to bring about new growth, greater faith and a new strength to lean on. Maybe He longs to use the weakness, so that He may be seen in an even greater way. No matter what it may be...maybe it's time to take a "faith check." Are we focusing on the positive or the negative? Do our words speak faith or defeat? If our words are speaking defeat; then we have just closed the door of faith and opened the door to evil. How we speak or look at a circumstance will reveal where we stand with God.

We may not be in the crowd of people while Jesus was passing by and we may not have a chance to reach out and touch the hem of His garment; but what kind of faith do we have today? Is it a faith that grabs God's attention; like the moments when Jesus reacted to the woman, who touched the hem of His garment?

In this day we live in; we need to have a faith that will cause us to rise above despair, instead of being trapped in a pit of despair. Our words, thoughts and hearts are sending messages daily. Do they display a faith that God can connect to or do they unlock more doors to evil?

I pray that we will be able to find true faith; as we speak, think and react to our circumstance, in a way that will cause us to rise above these moments of despair.

A Reason behind the Trial

Do we truly understand God's desires, while going through moments of testing? Are we so deeply fixed upon the moment of testing itself, that we forget to see the reason behind the trial?

In Psalm 26:2-3, it reads..."Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind: (3) for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."

There may be times when God allows us to walk through a storm of circumstance but at the same time; He doesn't want our focus to be so much on the moment of trial; that we find ourselves sitting amongst the rubble of our problems. The test isn't found exactly through the affliction itself but instead, the moment of testing is being allowed, so God can see if we are going to try and work with Him, instead of succumbing to the problems we're facing.

God isn't looking at the affliction with us; but instead, He's looking to see how we deal with the affliction. He's wanting to examine each of our hearts and see where we stand with Him, while facing a battle in our lives.

Isn't it amazing how easy it is to say..."Lord, I love you" but how do we truly feel while facing a difficult moment in our lives? Is our love for Him as strong as it was before the trial began? We need to remember that God isn't out to afflict us; just so He can watch us suffer...no, instead, He's allowing these moments into our lives, so He can see how strong our hearts are. It's not about the affliction itself; instead, it's more about the strength we find and the hope we cling to, while going through these moments of affliction.

Can we walk in truth, while walking through a difficult storm? Do we waver or do we find God to be a crutch to lean on and hold tight to, until the storm passes by? No matter what we are facing today; we need to realize that it's not the trial; but instead, it's how we try to press on through the trial that counts.

Removing Our Focus Away from Despair

We seem to find ourselves talking with God or praying to Him, while going through difficult moments in our lives; but how often do we ask ourselves some important questions, that are found in God's word...questions that can encourage us and help us to dwell more on God instead of the circumstance?

Tonight, I have chosen a passage from Psalm 27:1-2, which reads..."The Lord is my light and my salvation...whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life...of whom shall I be afraid? (2) When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall." While going through trying moments in my own life; I find this chapter in the Psalms to be of comfort to me...a form of aide that can direct my footsteps back to where God longs for them to be.

First of all, let's take the 2 questions in verse 1 and ask them to ourselves. Ok...the first one says..."The Lord is my light and my salvation...whom shall I fear?" So...if God is the light that shines down upon our pathway and if He is our salvation or our form of help, then why do we fear the problems that arise? Are we making our problem more powerful than God? If we truly know that He is a form of light, that can be with us and we know that He is there to save us; lest we should fall, then why do we fear the problem so deeply? The second question goes on to say..."The Lord is the stronghold of my life...of whom shall I be afraid?" Both of these questions are talking about fear, which can debilitate us and keep us from pressing on. What causes fear to arise? Fear arises, when we become so deeply connected to the symptoms of our circumstance. We must remember that when we allow fear to rise above the love we should have for God; then that means that we are walking in unknown territory. Fear doesn't belong to God, so we need to walk away from fear and allow the love, power and strength of God to take hold. In other words...we need to allow God to become our stronghold, instead of the power we seem to be drawn to from the circumstance.

We need to come to grips with the circumstances that surround us and allow God to become more powerful; for His power will come against the enemies that are attempting to devour us...enemies of all kinds. When we are more deeply connected to God's loving power, then we will begin to realize that we can remain standing; no matter what circumstance may be trying to hit us head on. We also need to realize that when we allow fear to take the place of God, then we have disconnected ourselves from His loving presence. Anything that doesn't attach us to God should be removed, so we can begin once more to press on with God.

The Main Source of Provision

The only thing that keeps us going is the hope that we can find through Jesus Christ. When we can rise above despair, with a settled feeling that everything is going to be ok, then it will. It's a means of keeping ourselves connected to a God that can do all things, even when the circumstance seems to tell us differently. In Philippians 1:6, it reads..."Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Jesus will never take us down a new pathway in life, unless He knows that He can walk us through it to the end.

This week, Keith and I have been facing one trial after another. It seems as though we would just get over one hump and another one would appear. As I tried to keep my head above the water this week, God showed me that when we fall apart and let the trial get the best of us, then we are allowing the plug that's connected between us and God to be slowly disconnected. When we show weakness through a trial, then Satan will be right around the corner...waiting to feast on each negative thing but when we can rise above the despair and have a settled feeling, that my God will never abandon me or forsake me through the trial, then we can walk calmly through each moment, until He brings us to the end.

Today has been a brand new day for Keith and I. As we viewed each weapon that Satan was throwing our direction this week; we also have viewed God's power, overriding each thing that Satan had done to us. Instead of panicking and falling prey to each trial; I learned even more, that I have to walk through them with God and KNOW that my God will be there for me. How many of us can say that we truly allow God to bring us through a trying moment in our life? Do we find the words so easily spoken or are we putting our words into action? How are we handling our trials today?

We may be poor in the eyes of the world but we are truly rich...because even though we don't always have the provision we need; we have the main source of provision, which is only found in Jesus Christ. God's work may not always come in the form of a dollar bill but when we allow Him to do everything He desires; we begin to see His many ways of provision and until we truly believe that; we will always find life to be a struggle, while we limit His power in our lives.

When God Allows the Fire...He Will Walk Us through It

Seems as though each day brings more trials, tribulation and hardship and when we look around us; we see the world going along their merry way, while the Christians seem to struggle, just to keep their heads above the water. We know that God won't forsake or abandon us but we all seem to question; why the Christ who showed His love to us, through His death on the cross has forgotten us.

Tonight I would like to share several verses of hope, that will lift us up and out of the clutches of evil and place us back where we belong with God. Our first reading is found in Revelation 2:10, which reads..."Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Sometimes I think we have everything backwards. Yes...Jesus did die for our sins and as our Lord and Savior, He does have power above every living thing, including Satan but we must remember that we will go through these moments of trial and testing. When Satan is placing us in the fire; we need to remember that this isn't because He is going to win out. When Satan places us into these difficult moments; God still has control. Sometimes, God is allowing the painful moments to pass by, so He can use these moments as a test, to see if we are as devoted to Him, as we say we are. Words are so easily spoken but when we have to live them...can we?

Ok, let's go into our final scripture, which is found in James 1:12, which reads..."Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him." Ok...what does that last part of the verse say? It says..."He shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM". The ones, who truly love God, will go through anything for Him, as He went through everything for us. This is a way of exchanging our love with God. The person, who chooses to walk through the fire of circumstance, is relaying a message to God, of love and devotion. There are mothers and fathers, that will lay down their lives for their children but are we laying our life down for our Heavenly Father; as He laid down His life on the cross for us?

This life we are living now is just a temporary life. To me, I see it as a life that was meant to serve and love God...a life where we are being tested by God, to see if we truly love Him. The hard times we are going through right now aren't meant to hurt us; but to help us. Today, we need to stand up in our pit of despair...shake off the dust of circumstance and give our complete life and love to God. Remember...that even though God is allowing us to walk through the fire right now; He is in the fire with us and He knows where our breaking point is and when He sees that; He will come and rescue us from the circumstance. You say...I've already reached my breaking point Diane. Well...God must know that there is more strength to gain or more strength still there; otherwise He would turn everything around in an instant.

No matter what we are facing today...no matter how dark the clouds look in the sky around us...no matter how bad the storm looks on the horizon; just remember that God is seeing the same thing too. John 14:18 reads..."No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm...I will come to you." Maybe instead of looking directly at the storm; maybe we should be looking for Jesus...the strong anchor for us to hold too, until the storm comes to an end.

A Constant Battle

As Christians, we can be tired of watching the world prosper, while we continue to fight the battles of this life that come our direction. Tonight as I was looking through God's word; He lead me to Hebrews 11:24-25, which reads..."By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

During the time of Moses; his mother and his sister Miriam cradled him in a woven basket and floated him down the river, as a means of sparing Moses's life. It was the Pharaoh's daughter who discovered him in the river and raised him to be an Egyptian. Later in the story, Moses discovers who his real family is and finds out that he is really Hebrew. Rather than enjoying "the pleasures of sin for a season," Moses chooses to go back with his family as a slave.

Moses could have remained committed to his Egyptian family, as a means of escaping the affliction that would be brought on him, while remaining committed to the people of God but instead, he chose to do what was honest and right before God. We too may find it difficult to remain committed to God, while suffering moments of affliction but we must remember one thing...what we choose now, will be the final outcome in our life later.

I'm learning more and more that we shouldn't have our minds fixed on the battle itself but instead, we need to remain committed to God. The one we find ourselves committed to now, will later determine where we will spend all of eternity. That doesn't mean that the road will always be smooth and easy to travel down; in fact, if we were to look at many stories in the Bible...those who remained committed to God never had it easy in life.

Life will always be a challenge and the more we find ourselves committed to God...the more we may endure. The battleground we are facing is actually between us and Satan. The more we please God and remain committed to God...the more aggravation we may face from Satan. In this battle, while we are longing to remain committed to God, Satan is trying to work overtime, to take us away from God. Our love for God is being put to the test, until the final moment of our life, when we stand before God, to give an account for the life we just lived. When we face Jesus for the first time; He will know of our true love for Him, when He looks back into our life, to see how committed we really were to Him.

In a worldly eye, we just want to be free from our moments of pain and heartache but through a heavenly eye, we are working through our circumstances, to remain committed to the God that we love.

Leaving Our Desires behind to Find God's

Tonight, I would like to share some special verses that have truly touched my own heart tonight and these verses are found in II Corinthians 4:6-9, which reads..."Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. (7) (For we walk by faith, not by sight :) (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (9) Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."

How many of us can say that we are more "at home in the body?" Are we more in touch with ourselves; rather than to be closely in touch with God? When the first problem arises, do we run to hold ourselves, while going through a state of panic or do we run to God for comfort and strength? If we were to take a closer look at ourselves; we would find that we could never make it through this kind of a life we live, without the presence of God. When we are absent from the body, then that means that we are leaving our own thoughts and desires behind, so we can find the desires from God, that will truly make our lives strengthened and more in touch with Him.

Today, as Keith and I were talking; I began to realize that when we are facing a difficult dilemma in our lives; we need to erase the slate that holds all of our own thoughts and desires, so there is room for God to write out His plan and purpose for the circumstance. When we try to pick up the pieces that have fallen within us, instead of allowing God to work through our spirits, then we are just going to add more broken pieces to the pile. We need to remember that we must walk by faith...not by sight. When we only allow a so called cure, that's put together with the ways and desires that come within our own sight, then we will never see what direction God is taking us. When we walk by faith; we are going to look for God to place each step in front of us. We can explore the options that stand before us; but only as a means of helping ourselves to find the steps that will lead us away from the circumstance, and into the hand of a true cure for our lives.

When we are truly willing to leave the comforts of our own self, to look for the cure that can only come to us through the faith we place in God, then we not only find a way out of our circumstance; but we also find new growth and trust, in an unseen God. I pray that we will be more willing to leave ourselves behind, so we can walk hand in hand with a God who can do all things!

A Personal Talk with God

Why do we use prayer as a last resort? We hear people say..."well, all I can do is pray." Why are we more willing to try everything that won't work before we decide to pray? Are we making our prayer life as though it's something that sits on the back burner of our minds? Are we only praying when a tragedy turns into an emergency?

God wants us to make Him our lifeline for everything throughout our day. He wants us to know that He can do so much more than what we can even begin to think of; but yet we choose to exhaust ourselves with every man made cure and when we find no end to our needs, then we choose to call upon God as a last resort.

Do we ever think that we could be suffering needlessly in our lives because we wait too long before we ask God for His help? When we are sick, would we wait and go to the doctor at the last minute? When we are in pain, would we wait and take our medicine, when the pain gets to its highest peak? If not, then why do we make God a last resort? Yes, we have decisions to make, when it comes to our health or other things that happen in our lives; but we could add a dose of prayer and include God into the circumstance.

What really happens when we pray? To me, it's as if we are on the phone with God and even though we can't see His face, we are still in His presence when we talk with Him and it's as if our words are being transported directly before His throne; as He is listening to us speak. Prayer to me isn't just a time when I bow my head and talk to God but rather, it's a time when I can talk to God...friend to friend. I can open up the deepest part of my heart and know that I can trust Him as He listens to me. I know that He will cry with me, when my heart is hanging at the end of a thread. I know He will not walk away when I need someone to listen to me.

When I pray...He becomes my counselor. He also becomes the prince of all peace, when I need someone to bring calmness to my spirit. He also becomes the great physician, when I'm in pain and I can't take the pain another minute. He not only lives in my heart but He is there to see what my heart goes through each day, whether good or bad. When my eyes have run out of tears, He turns inwardly to my heart and sees each tear that falls within.

Prayer isn't just a ritual; it's a time when we share with the One who created us. We are in the midst of the Most High God...in our own "Holy of Holies". If we can feel this kind of connection with God when we pray, then we will always long to talk to Him and we will begin to see a renewed hope that comes through prayer.

A Reason to Rejoice Through Suffering

Suffering in any form isn't always easy to cope with. No matter what the problem may be; no one likes to suffer or go through overwhelming trials in their lives but sometimes we just need to slow down and realize that these painful moments in our lives aren't here to make life more difficult; only if we see it that way.

I'd like to share a few verses tonight with you, from I Peter 4:12, 13, which reads..."Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. (13) But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." Seems like the first thing we do, when we are faced head on with some form of suffering, is to panic and fall apart. We seem to get so caught up into the symptom of our suffering that our thoughts begin to race over and over within us, until we finally fall on our face, with an overwhelming circumstance.

I think that if we could understand the full impact of suffering; as seen through the eyes of Christ, then we wouldn't find ourselves so overwhelmed and in despair. The verses above are saying that we shouldn't see these moments, as though they are something strange to us. I don't think that I've ever heard of anyone who longs to suffer; but at the same time, if we can have a settled feeling in our hearts and minds, that these moments aren't out to destroy us, then we could go through these moments with more peace. When we can see our moments of suffering, as moments that allow us to share in the sufferings of Christ, then we would find more of a reason to be joyful instead of overwhelmed. If a person was to think more clearly; they would begin to see that as they share in the sufferings of Christ, that a closer bond is being formed in their relationship with God.

Today, I pray that we will quit trying to live up to the world's standard, when it comes to suffering and that we will begin to find a reason to rejoice...after all, we are sharing in the sufferings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A Light that Shines through the Darkest Trial

Have we become so drawn into the circumstance we're living with, that we can no longer see, the good through the bad? We need to remember that the good things in life can be found, no matter what the circumstance may be, when we have God standing beside us.

In Psalm 27:13, it reads..."I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." How could we continue to stand through any trying moment, if there was nothing good to be found through these difficult times? God allows these moments to only enter our lives; knowing that He can use what seems to be difficult, as a means of remolding us and making us, into something that can allow new growth to enter our lives, so He can be clearly seen. It's not in His plan to allow these circumstances to defeat us. Even though we may wake up one morning and see a dreary sky, that doesn't mean that every day that follows will be dreary too. Just as God has allowed some days to be dreary and some to shine brightly with the sun, He also allows some of these dreary moments into our lives, so He can allow the rays of His beauty to shine forth, even on a cloudy day.

We need to stop and think; if we didn't have one good thing to reflect on, through each dreary trial, then wouldn't we faint and fall defeated to the ground? The problem we're facing, is that we are too busy looking deeply into the face of the circumstance, that we cannot see anything good. We need to remember that we aren't supposed to remain in the trial, but rather, we are supposed to allow God to use the trial, so we can be made stronger through Him; but if we are too busy looking at only the difficult moments, then how are we ever going to see the good that's supposed to spring forth from each trial. When we can reflect on the good things in life, even while experiencing deep moments of adversity, then we also find renewed hope...a glimpse of light shining forth into our dark tunnel of despair.

In some ways it's like grief. When we lose someone close to us, we will grieve for a time but if we are ever going to move on with Christ, we need to allow God to work in such a way, that we experience the good He has to offer us...something good, that will always keep us from looking into the face of the problem.

No matter what you may be facing today, just know that God's light shines through each dark and dreary trial. We need to just take the time to reflect on the good things in life, and once we begin to see the good through the bad, then we will also find a reason to keep pressing on with God.

Belief...a Tool that can Strengthen Weakness

It can seem bad enough that we are facing difficult circumstances from day to day; but what makes life even more difficult is when we feel the negative feelings of temptation that can accompany the situation...the moments that tell us to give up and give in to the problem.

Tonight I would like to share some verses with you in James 1:12, 13; 4:7, which reads..."Happy is the man who doesn't give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for god never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it...So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." It's not only Satan's desire to attack us when we're weak but it's also his desire to tempt us into giving in to the problem, instead of remaining close and focused on God. Satan seems to begin by hitting us with a thorn of circumstance and he knows that as long as he has control over the thorn, then we will always remain weak...right where he wants us. Even though these verses pertain to sin in some way; they also show that when we give in to temptation of any kind, then we have taken ourselves away from God's presence, where we are more vulnerable to evil...even more than before.

God wants us to remember, that no matter how difficult the moments may seem; that we should never give in to the temptations of evil and evil is just what it is. God also wants us to remember that these moments of overwhelming temptation aren't from Him. It's not God's will to keep the difficult moments alive within our lives but when we allow our minds to be controlled not only by the circumstance but also by the temptation to give up, than we are allowing the thorn to be wedged deeper within us.

No one wants to suffer and no one wants to remain in their suffering, so if we are going to keep pressing on with God; we must first turn away from the circumstance and all the control it can have on us. Once we have disconnected ourselves from the circumstance and it's temptation, then we are allowing the circumstance to become powerless in our lives. We are also giving God the rightful place in our lives...the place He so rightfully deserves and the place we need Him to be.

No matter what you may be facing today; God never said that it would be easy but He did give us a tool to carry with us and that tool is belief. When we can remain committed to God through a mind of belief, then we will not allow the circumstance or the temptation from the circumstance to have control over our lives.

Defeating Satan through a Positive Heart

Today was a new day for me...I guess you can say an eye opener....you know, one of those things you always read about and say wow to but never really apply to your life? It's just so amazing how reading and action can be so different from each other, until a person stops reading and says...I'm just going to do this. Well...that's how my day began.

Keith's and my devotion is always the blog I write the night before. Well...as we were ending our devotion, we were just sitting here talking, like we do every time we have devotion. As I was thinking about the challenging moments I've been facing lately; God kind of stopped me in my tracks, as though to say..."Diane, instead of counting your problems one by one; why don't you count your blessings one by one and see where I take you from there. So as we were getting ready to have prayer together this morning; I said to Keith...why don't we say something we are thankful for each morning; not just something like food, clothing or our home but instead, something that we can really praise God for, even if we are still going through a specific need...so we began...

Keith has been sick a little over the weekend and my computer has still been giving me a little problem and our dog has seemed a little depressed. Our dog is probably depressed, after hearing our problems; well any way, I began to mention to Keith that I was still thankful for my computer, even though I've been trying to figure out a problem or two, then Keith said that he was thankful that he didn't have to be at work, out in the weather today, with the way he was feeling. Before we realized it; we were not just looking at what good we had to praise God for; but we were beginning to look for the good through the bad, and praise God anyway.

Satan has a way of taking our joy away; whether it is through an illness or depression or just a bad day. I found through this lesson this morning, that we can either allow Satan to have his way or we can throw a weapon, right back at him. You say...what is good about being sick or having some computer problems? Well...neither one of those problems are fun but when a person can find the good out of a negative situation, then they are slapping Satan in the face and letting him know that even though the situation isn't great; we still can find God in it all. I guess it's a matter of keeping God alive through a dead situation.

I pray that you too will find a reason to praise God, even when the circumstance seems hopeless. Just remember one thing...the works of Satan can be put out; but we must be willing to allow God to do it through us, as we seek the good, even if it's through a trying moment in our life.

A Short Season of Suffering...

Compared to an Eternity in Heaven

The days we live in may seem as though the struggles are becoming more difficult. It's not always easy to feel the excitement and joy we once had in a day, while facing these trying moments in our lives. When the circumstances begin to weigh so heavily upon us; we feel as though these moments never have an end to them. It's as though one problem keeps connecting into another problem.

In Romans 8:18, it reads..."Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later." Tomorrow we begin a new week, with brand new days and brand new nights. Maybe last week didn't go quite as well and because of that, we find ourselves comparing the moments ahead with the moments behind us. If we could just slow down...take a slow breath of air in and look at our circumstances through a different light...a heavenly light, then we will be able to remind ourselves that these moments are nothing, in comparison to the great moments that await us in Heaven.

These moments we go through right now are small tests. Each test may seem irritating at times, to the point that we can't seem to see anything good ahead of us; but we must remember that God will never allow us to go over the cliff with our circumstances. He may allow us to sit on the edge of the cliff a little bit, so He can get our attention and keep us focused on Him; but He isn't a God who will allow our circumstances to become failures.

One thing that will keep us sitting on the edge of the cliff is when we allow ourselves to accept a day that hasn't been given to us yet by God. Let's say that we already know what we need to do on Tuesday or Friday. Even though we need to remind ourselves of these things; at the same time, God doesn't want us to predict the day, before the day has arrived. When we begin to see a day, as a day of failure, before it's even arrived, then we may see those predictions come to pass. We need to remember that Satan is lurking around and if he can pick up on one of these weak moments in our day, then he will definitely use it against us.

These moments right now can seem overwhelming, frustrating, and filled with anxiety; but when we place them on a scale that's next to the moments we will spend with God in Heaven, then we will find that the moments that we share with God, for all of eternity, will become something worth waiting for. I pray that as we begin a new week, that we will turn our focus away from the struggles of life and begin to look forward to an eternity of peace with God.

Turning Away from Fear and Doubt to Focus on God's best

Could we be serving a symptom of our circumstance instead of God, without even realizing it? How can this happen? We could be going through a difficult circumstance in our life; to find that symptoms begin to arise from the circumstance, such as fear, doubt, anger, or any other negative feeling. When we become too deeply attached to these feelings, we find that we have lost our connection with God and we begin to serve the symptom of our circumstance even more.

Does it make sense? Can we really serve a symptom of our circumstance and how does this happen? When we find ourselves facing a difficult time in our lives, the circumstance can bring about negative feelings and sometimes we become too attached to them, that we end up serving them, instead of looking to God. We sit and wonder why we are still hurting or going through a difficult time, when we don't even realize that we have turned inwardly, to the symptom of our problem, instead of turning completely to God.

An example of this would be a person who is living with heartache, from grief or something from the past. The feelings that come out of those painful moments can bring about fear, deep heartache and even anger. When we get so deeply attached to these feelings, we can find ourselves slipping away from God, without even realizing it. This doesn't mean that we have lost our salvation; it just means that the symptom of our problem begins to dictate our life, instead of God. We become deeply wounded, as though the wound hasn't had a chance to heal. We may still talk with God about our problem; but where do we go from there? Do we remain connected to God, even after prayer or do we slip back into the feelings that may be crushing us and placing us into a pit of despair?

When I was going through counseling for a past sexual abuse, I did the same thing. My feelings became my god, even though I was still searching for the answers, through the true and living God. When I prayed, I would still go away with unbelief. In fact, there were moments, when I would say to God..."what's next!" I learned after a while not to say that because every time I said..."what's next," something new would arise. At that time, I never realized how my words and feelings could continue to debilitate me and keep me from a healing in my life.

How we speak or how we react to our circumstances, will relay to God our desires. If we are turning inwardly to our fear, doubt or anger, then those things will continue to dictate our lives and keep us away from the true answers that God longs to give us.

Today, I was thinking about how far God has brought me in my life. I remember the shattered moments of despair and even though my life won't be completely perfect until I reach Heaven, I realize, that I no longer follow after the feelings that kept me wounded.

A Purpose for Suffering

If we could see our circumstances as more of a plan and purpose for our lives, then we wouldn't have to question these moments we go through. I think that there are times when we are too busy questioning what's wrong, instead of looking for the reason and purpose that God has behind all of our needs.

In Jeremiah 29:11-13, it reads..."For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest." So these verses say it all. God has a plan for each and every one of our lives. His plans are to bring about good...not evil. A God that stands for all things good cannot be seen as a defeated God, so He's only going to use, what seems evil to us and make it into something good...something that will bring honor to His name.

In the next part of these verses, it says that we need to talk to God and seek Him with all our heart; for the purpose He has behind our circumstance. We can't share our heart with God and the circumstance. We are either going to seek for the reason behind the problem or we will end up allowing the problem to defeat us. We need to remember, that it's not God's plan for us to be defeated but if we are more willing to accept the circumstance, instead of continually seeking for the purpose God has behind the circumstance, then we could find ourselves defeated.

We should long to know God's purpose behind our circumstance, so He can bring light to the problem and allow it to be used for His honor and glory. Remember, God is willing to listen to us but first we must be the one to approach Him about our need, so He can work with us and allow His will to be made complete in all of us.

Sometimes I wonder why we find it easier to accept the problem, then the reason behind the problem...a reason that can turn defeat into victory. God has already had the plans drawn out for us since the day He made us; all we need to do is remember that our trying moments here on earth, aren't here with us to bring defeat into our lives, for God says..."For I know the plans I have for you...they are plans for good and not for evil...to give us a future that's filled with renewed hope.

Walking Away from the Past

To Walk Towards Something Greater

Guilt can become its own pit of despair. In fact, the more we feel guilt; it seems as though the pit just keeps getting deeper and deeper, while we begin to feel more disconnected from God. Today I would like to share several Bible passages with you and the first one is found in Isaiah 1:18 and we read..."Come, let's talk this over! Says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool." The worse thing we can do is cling to the moments that have gone wrong in our lives. Satan knows our frailty, so he's all prepared. He's got a pit of despair all set up for us and the more that he can remind us of our faults; the deeper the pit becomes. We need to remember that God isn't looking at our faults; in fact, He is willing to walk right beyond the fault, to see the need. The only thing is...how are we going to allow Him to see our need, if we keep wallowing in the pit of despair? He doesn't care if the stain of our sin or wrongdoing is as deep as crimson red; because He's already made a way of forgiveness and a means of cleansing and that way is through the cross.

The next Bible reference I would like to share with you today is found in Hebrews 8:12, which reads..."And I will be merciful to them in their wrongdoings, and I will remember their sins no more. "Why would a God of such love go to the cross and die such a brutal death; just so He could sit around and point out every fault we have done? Yes, Jesus wants us to make amends and make our lives right with Him; but at the same time, He doesn't want us to keep thinking on the things we've done wrong.

When we constantly dwell on our sins and the things we've done wrong in our lives, then the memory of those situations just allow us to keep wallowing in the pit of self-despair. In this verse above, Jesus says that once we get our lives right with God; He remembers the sin no more, so if He's willing to let go of these past moments of sin, then why can't we do the same? We need to remember one more thing; when we keep dwelling on these moments in our lives, then these moments will begin to form another weakness in our lives that will only allow more doors to remain open to Satan.

If we are going to remain away from the traps and snares that Satan has set up for us, then we need to remain strong in God and the only way we are going to remain strong, is to leave the past alone and move on, into bigger, stronger and better things with God. I pray that we will walk away from these moments of weakness that we may continue to rise higher with God!

A Relationship Instead of Religion

Are we looking for God through religion or a relationship? Do we only know God the traditional ways we've been taught over the years or do we know God through a personal relationship? Do we truly know God, through the experiences and circumstances we've been through or do we only know of Him, through the ways that are taught of by man? How we relate to God, will determine how we get through the trying moments in our lives.

In Psalm 16:7-8, it reads..."I will bless the Lord who counsels me; he gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do. I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or fall." This morning as I was getting around, I was listening to a program on TV and they were talking about religion vs. relationship and the words I was listening to, got me thinking about our lives and what can make it easier for us to get through the tough times of pain and heartache. If we are turning towards a religion, will we find the wisdom we need to know, that will walk us through the toughest moments of circumstance?

As I was reading these verses; I was thinking about the moments we need Christ the most. If we are turning to the traditional ways we've been taught through religion, will we be able to gain enough wisdom...a wisdom that will show us how to walk out of a difficult circumstance? Through my youth, I was raised in the Baptist faith. It wasn't until I met my husband, that I discovered a true and close relationship with God. Now I talk with Him daily and I'm always willing to listen for His response...a response that brings wisdom and truth into my life, instead of just a belief. I know His presence lives within my heart and we can relate in ways I never knew before. Just like the verses say...I have a reason to bless the Lord because He is there to give me counsel, whether in the day or night time and when I can experience such a loving and close relationship with Him; I find that I think more about Him and the things He can accomplish in my life. Knowing that His presence is that near to me; helps me to walk on the pathway He has for me...a pathway that will keep me away from the traps and snares that Satan has set up for me.

I think that sometimes we just need to remind ourselves, that it's Christ...not a religion. A religion dictates its ways but it's only Christ who can give us the truth and wisdom we need, in a loving way, even during the night hours.

A Good Friend

While going through a trying moment in our life; we need to know that we have someone to turn to...someone who won't grow tired of us and someone who will always see the need of our heart and love us anyway. We need someone who will always be there and will never walk away...despite what we may put this friend through. In Proverbs 18:24, it reads..."There are "friends" who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

It's good to have a close friend or some other person to talk with, while facing trying moments of pain and heartache. When a friend is truly there for us; this friend will always have an understanding heart...a heart that walks way beyond the fault, to see the need that our heart cries out for. This friend needs to connect with us, in ways that a true friend would do. This friend also needs to be available, whether we would need this friend during the week or on the weekend...a friend that will be willing to give up holidays, birthday parties, or even a couple of hours of sleep, just so this friend could be with us, when we need this friend the most.

The friend I've found, that fits my needs the most is Jesus Christ. I find that I don't have to wait to talk with someone in the morning, when I've had a bad night of pain or something is on my mind. I find Jesus to be a friend that has never walked away from me, even when the conversations seem to never find an end. I see Him as someone that I can begin and end my day with. When there's a holiday, he's never closed for business and when the weekend comes; He works overtime to meet my needs.

Why do we allow ourselves to suffer alone or feel like no one cares when He's already willing to pull up a chair within our heart and have a good talk? Why do we allow Him to be second best, to others around us, even when we know that He's more convenient and ready to meet our needs?

Here we have a friend that may already live within us; but yet we allow Him to sit in the corner of our heart, while we clutter the remainder of our heart with worry, fear and anxiety. Maybe if we were willing to clean out the part of our heart, that has kept us distant from Him, then maybe we would be able to pull up a chair and have a nice, long talk with Him.

God longs for our prayers; but over time, I have found Him to be a friend that longs for us to just have a nice talk together. I have found that He is not only a friend, for the moments when I have a need; but I have also found that our relationship has grown and that we have come to know more about each other.

We don't have to sit in despair and most of all; we don't have to suffer alone. We just need to clean out the clutter of worry, fear and anxiety and pull up a chair with Jesus. When we allow Him to live within our hearts, then we will always know He's home. I pray that we will be able to find God to be more than a god; but also a true friend, that will always be there when we need Him the most.

He's Been There All the Time

Do we ever stop to think that God is already looking over us, even before we ask for His help? Before that first word of need is spoken, He's already there...waiting to help us, to sustain us, or meet a need in our life.

The verse that caught my attention today is found in I Peter 5:7, which reads..."Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you." God already knows our need, even before we ask for His help. He is a God that cares so much for us that He is already prepared and ready to respond to our needs, even before we call out for His help.

How could we ever think that He's forgotten us, when He's always been there, all along? Could it be that we are so caught up in what we are going through, that we have become the one who has walked right past Him? Maybe we have remained so focused on what is wrong, that instead of seeking God's help, we find ourselves focusing on how we can make our circumstance better. We need to remember that we can't seek God's help and the answers we so desperately need, if we are always trying to figure them out on our own. In other words...we can only have our thoughts fixed, on one thing at a time. Sometimes I wonder if God made our minds this way, so He could use our thoughts as a test...a test to see if our mind would be on Him or the circumstance, while facing trying circumstances in our lives.

We need to ask ourselves this question...if we truly are in need of His help, that we find, that we have to call out to Him, then why have we focused our attention, on the problem. If we are calling out for help, to a god that is much greater than us, then wouldn't that be a sign that we need to stay out of the way, so He can move forward with His plan?

God was already there when the circumstance first began and this is how great of a god He really is. He's just waiting for us to get out of the way, so He can do what we truly need Him to do. I pray that we will begin to see God as something greater...a God who can do much more than what we give Him credit for.

Beginning a New Week with God

Tomorrow, we will be starting a brand new week. In the days that we are living in, we need the complete power of God's hand at work in our lives each day. Do we allow God to have full reign of our lives or do we make Him a limited God? In James 1:5-6 it reads..."If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraided not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. "God doesn't want us to view His limitless power as a wave of the sea. When we watch the waves of the sea, they are drawn to us at one moment and then the next moment they pull away from us. We can become like the waves of the sea...one moment we find ourselves drawn to God's power, while the next moment we are being driven further away from God because of doubt.

When God created the lakes and the oceans; I believe that He drew a line around them, to place a boundary, so they wouldn't cross the line and flood the earth. This in itself is showing the limitless power of God. Are we allowing Him to show His limitless power through our circumstances? Are we allowing Him to draw a boundary line around us, so that Satan can't continue to defeat us or do we doubt this great power? God wants to demonstrate His great power in our lives but if we are placing our own boundary barriers around us, then how is He going to show the full extent of what He can do in our lives?

As we walk into a new week, we should connect with God; especially during the trying moments. In this way, we are relaying a message to God, that we believe in Him and see Him as a God of limitless power. We should be able to walk into a new week and know that He is a God of strength, stability and sustainment...a God that never fails. Instead of placing a weak circumstance above a powerful God; we need to place a strong God above any weak circumstance that may enter our week.

A Settled Feeling

Do we stop to think that God can give us a fresh new start every day? Do we see Him as a God that can turn a bad day into another day of renewed hope? In Psalm 39:5, it reads..."You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath." As I was reading this verse tonight, I was reminded of what I noticed this morning, as I was getting up and around for the day. Last night, when I closed everything up for the night; I noticed that we still had some snow on the ground; but as I looked out our slider door this morning...all the snow had melted during the night. Even though I had seen the snow on the ground the day before; that didn't mean that I would see it this morning; especially since we know that there is a powerful God, who controls all things, from one day into the next.

Our lives are controlled by the same God, from one day into the next. Even though we may have had a bad day today, that doesn't mean that we will have the same kind of day tomorrow. Just like the verse says...our life is but a breath; when we see our lives in the same way God visualizes them. When we see each day as God does, then we find renewed hope. When we can see each day as a day of new beginnings, instead of seeing a bad day, as a day that continues on and on, then we can have the same hope that comes from Psalm 112:7-8, which reads..."He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid, but can calmly face his foes."

The only way we are going to be able to trust in God and have faith, that our God won't let us down; is when we are able to leave the words, "fear, doubt and dread" behind. We need to live with a settled feeling, that our God can help us walk through a bad day, so we can press on with Him, into a brand new day, that's filled with renewed hope.

God's Footprints

Life brings challenges that we find sometimes hard to face; looking for the right pathway to take, can sometimes make it hard...while running at our own pace. Sometimes we run too hard and fast, always thinking we know the way; trying to create the steps on our own, that only God can give us each day. It can be like trying to climb a ladder, thinking there's one more step to climb; never realizing there are no steps ahead, as we race through life...only to fall each time. God is the One, who began our journey, and He's the only One who knows what steps to make; all we have to do is follow His leading, then He will show us what steps to take.

Five years ago, God gave me these words to write. If we were to slow down and look at life, the way God would want us to, then we would see moments within our own lives, when we try to get ahead of Him. Seems like the very moment we face a challenge; we also find ourselves creating our own pathway...a pathway that will quickly remove us from our circumstance. The only problem we seem to face is that we forget that God is the only One who can create the steps that will lead us out of our wilderness of despair.

We not only try to form our own pathway; but we also try to hurry through our problems, until we realize that we have gotten ahead of God, while trying to run at our own pace. How is it that we always seem to know the way out of our problems; while at the same time, we feel the need for God's help?

I like the section in this poem that goes like this..."It's like trying to climb a ladder, thinking there's one more step to climb; never realizing there are no steps ahead, as we race through life...only to fall each time." When a person climbs a ladder, there is always one more step, until we reach the top, where our destination ends. In life it can become so easy to think that there is always one more step ahead, until we get so far ahead of God, that the extra step only leads to a fall.

If God allowed this journey of circumstance to begin in our life; then wouldn't He be the only One that knows the way? We need to come to a place in our life, where we truly understand that each step in our life cannot take us anywhere, unless God forms the steps for us to walk in. When we try to hurry, then we won't find ourselves looking for His footprints. Instead, we will just race aimlessly ahead of God, where we could find ourselves falling into a deep pit of more despair. God knows the ways of Satan and He knows where Satan has his traps hidden from us. God's steps can help us to walk around the traps that have been set up for us but first, we must be willing to slow down and walk with God through our trial...one step at a time.

Ignoring the Problem to Discover Sufficient Grace

Seems like there have been so many people hurting, since this New Year began. People who are dealing with pain and heartache are sometimes finding it difficult to understand God's ways. Many times we think that if only the problem would just go away, then everything would be just fine; but what we truly need is not the absence of our problem...instead, we need the presence of a powerful God. The problem isn't going to go away on its own, so we need the presence of a mighty God, to step in and take control of the problems we face.

A couple of my favorite verses are found in II Corinthians 12:8-9, which reads..."For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." In this reading, Paul had been afflicted by Satan; but it was God's will...that Paul may learn to become humble and lean on his God instead of himself. Three different times, Paul begged God to make him well; but instead of God promising to do so; He told Paul that His grace was sufficient enough for the moment. Before, we've learned that grace means...God's riches at Christ's expense; so God was saying to Paul, that what resulted from the death of His Son on the cross would be enough to sustain Paul. God was also trying to say to Paul that he could only gain God's perfect strength, through his own moments of weakness. From there...Paul began to see a reason to rejoice or glory in his infirmities because Paul was no longer seeing moments of despair; but instead, Paul knew that these moments of weakness would allow a new door to open in his life...a door that would open and allow Paul to experience the hand of God at work in his life.

We too can be like Paul. We can be begging God to take away a problem or illness in our life that has been with us for a long time but for some reason nothing seems to be happening. Maybe God is trying to tell us that His grace is sufficient enough for the moment. Maybe God wants us to gain a greater strength through Him and just like Paul; we need to experience the weakness that takes us to the bottom of the pit, before we can rise with the only perfect strength that can come from God.

No matter what may be the need right now in our life; if we could just take our eyes off of the severity of the problem, then we would be able to find a reason to praise God, even while experiencing weakness. Tonight I pray that we will just know in our hearts, that God's grace is sufficient for the moment; that we may be able to find a reason to rejoice, in a God that can do all things!

God Crowns Our Efforts with Success

No matter what we may be going through in life; we may not always find it easy to play the "game of life" right with God. In fact, we feel that our way is often the best way, which only leads us to a detour road of disaster.

When I was going through a lot of pain and distresses in my life, I was searching for verses in God's word that would give me strength, to get through the tougher moments that I was going through at the time. I had a version of the Bible, titled "The Book," which was just another translation of the Bible. As I began to turn through the pages, I found a section in the front, that was titled, "Trust." As I looked down through that section, I found a couple of verses that stood out from the others. First of all, I read the version of Proverbs 3:5-6 in the King James Bible, which read..."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths," but in "The Book" version, it read like this..."Trust the Lord completely; don't ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success."

The last part of those verses really stuck with me, as though God Himself was highlighting them for me to read. There was a portion in that reading, that went like this..."and crown your efforts with success." As I thought more about these words, this is the thought that God laid upon my heart...

Think of your life as a "Checkerboard Game." The black pieces of the game illustrate the darkness or evil that surrounds us each day. The red pieces of the game illustrate the one who is trying to get through life and make it to Heaven with God's help. We may be surrounded by darkness, while trying to move forward, on the "game board of life" but when we finally reach the other side, Jesus will be there to meet us and crown every effort we put forth with success.

There's another side to this story though...if we don't keep our eyes on God; but instead, we choose to go our own way, then we will become more vulnerable to the ways of Satan and we will find ourselves surrounded by evil, which will only prevent us from moving forward with God and in the end, we will find that Satan will have more control over us, while we remain dormant on the "board of life."

I began to realize that I could never make it on my own, without having the renewed hope that Jesus Christ could make the way for me. Even though I may need a little reminder from time to time; my goal is to do what I can, and then from there, I need to let God finish it off and crown my efforts with success. We need to ask ourselves this question..."what are we going to do with the game piece that God has given to us? Are we going to meet God at a place where we can work with Him, so we can safely get to the other side of the board or are we going to try and figure out our own strategy?

A True Source of Provision

Tonight, we will be discussing a different topic that God has placed within my spirit. There are so many people now days that are in need of money; especially as we are going through a tough economy. The problem we find is that we end up making money a god, instead of allowing money to become a provision.

Tonight we are going to go through 2 different Bible references that will help us to see the difference between money as a god and money as a provision. The first Bible reference we will look at is in Ecclesiastes 5:10, which reads..."He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness." In this Bible reference, we see that money can overtake us, until we never have enough. We begin to see the need for this small god called money that we can easily find ourselves turning away from God, the true source of provision. Money is only a piece of paper or a coin that man has placed value on. If we were to remove the value of each dollar bill or coin; we would find that all we have is a small god that failed to meet our needs.

On the other hand, when we make the true and living God our main source of provision, then we find that He can provide in many different ways. Let's read our final Bible passage, which is found in Philippians, 4:19, which reads..."And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for us." The God, who sent His only Son into this world to die for our sins, is the only One who holds all things within His hands. In fact, He is the One who created the paper that's used to make the dollar bill and He's the One who created the form of metal or copper, which represents each penny, nickel, dime and quarter. So without the value that man has placed upon money; we would only be carrying paper and round shaped coins within our wallets and pockets. On the other hand, when we turn to God as our main source of provision; we are also turning to a God who can provide in many different ways.

Once we place our trust in the true source of provision, which is God; then we begin to see how God can truly provide and make a way for us. When the small god of money fails us and we begin to understand that money is only one of the many sources and ways that God can provide for us; then we will begin to see the power of a great God at work in our lives.

Our Afflictions are never a Waste

We need to remember that when we go through trying moments of pain and heartache, that it's not because God longs to see us suffer; but instead, He may have a plan, to use the moments we go through; that through our own moments of suffering, others may find renewed hope once more in God.

These past few days, I've been writing about a character from the Bible that has inspired and filled my own life with hope. We need to remember that God didn't just give us these stories, so that we'd read them like a novel or short story; but instead, God gave us these stories, that we may feel inspired and filled once more with renewed hope.

Tonight's character from the Bible is Esther. Esther goes from being an ordinary woman, to a queen. Little did she know that her role as queen, would allow her to help her people. A few of the key verses that caught my attention, are found in Esther 4:12-14, which reads..."When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, (13) he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. (14) For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

There may be times when God uses our afflictions for ourselves but there may also be times when we are going through great affliction because God is going to use our moments of ongoing pain and heartache, that we may touch the life of another person. In this story, God had planned to use Esther's royalty, to help bring freedom to her people, the Jews. In this story, we can see the power of a mighty God at work in Esther's life. I can't even fathom the moments that Esther first went through, after being taken away from her uncle Mordecai. She must have felt as though she would never see her uncle or her people again.

At the moment, when we feel as though we have been taken hostage by Satan, we can wonder if we will ever be set free from the affliction he has placed upon us. One thing we must remember is that God never can be a defeated God. Just like Esther; we have to believe that God will allow these moments of affliction to either repair something that has been broken within ourselves or to help another person in need.

Growing up, I never thought that God would bring me to this place in my life. All the pain and heartache was being allowed, so God could shape and form my heart into a heart that could be used by God...a heart that would not only keep me free but a heart that could also help others in need. We can get so caught up in what is going wrong, that we can't see the purpose that our affliction will serve. When we can allow our focus to become more deeply planted on God's plan and purpose, instead of what God is allowing, then we won't feel so defeated and discouraged.

Obedience Leads to Renewed Steps of Hope

The past few nights, we've been discussing the stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego. We've learned that we need to keep the faith and believe that God is a god of deliverance. Tonight, I thought that we'd review some of the story of Jonah, so let's read Jonah 1:1-3, 17 and chapter 2:1-2, 7-10, which reads..."Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, (2) Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. (3) But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. (17) Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (2:1) Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, (2:2) And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (2:7) When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, in thy holy temple. (2:8) they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. (2:9) But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. (2:10) and the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."

This story is quite different, from the stories we've studied, during the past few nights. The stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were stories of 4 men who had great faith in their God. The story of Jonah becomes a story of humbleness and obedience. It was God's will for Jonah to journey to the great city of Nineveh; but when Jonah chose to journey his own direction, he got out of the will of God and had to learn a difficult lesson.

As Jonah began to go his own way; God was determined to have control of Jonah's life by allowing a great fish to swallow him. I can't even begin to wonder what this experience must have been like. While Jonah was in the belly of this great fish; he had 3 days and 3 nights, to think over a lot of things. There can be moments in our lives, when God is trying to get our attention too. Even though we may not be in the belly of a great fish; God may allow us to be out of commission, until we have caught on, to the direction God has for us to go. I believe in my own life, that there were times when God allowed me to be laid up, so I could have time to grasp onto God's desires for my life, instead of my own selfish ways.

Once Jonah's eyes were open to God's desires and once Jonah was willing to pay for that which he had vowed before God; he was removed from the belly of the great fish. How many times do we try to go our own way? How many times do we think we know best; in comparison to God's will and desire for our lives? Some of our moments of pain and heartache could possibly stem from taking a detour road of our own desires. The only thing bad about this road, is that it won't take us anywhere; except for into a place of more heartache and pain.

There is hope though, for those of us who may have taken the wrong pathway. Once we come to the place like Jonah, where we are willing to keep our vow before God and allow Him to work out His will through us; He then will remove us from the belly of our circumstance and once more we will experience renewed hope and a new beginning.

Where is Our Faith?

I would like to share a few Bible references that will help to encourage us and bring renewed hope, while facing our own moments of weakness. Let's turn to Daniel 3:24-26, which reads..."Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king. (25) He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (26) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire."

These men knew that their God would either deliver them from the fire or their God would prevent them from being thrown into this fiery furnace; but either way, they were determined to not bow down to anything but their own true and living God.

In this reading, we see 3 men, who were thrown into the fiery furnace; but as the king looked down into the fiery flames; he not only saw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego but he also saw another man, that resembled the Son of God. From our reading yesterday, we learned that no matter what was meant to happen to these 3 men; they knew that their God would deliver them and bring them out of the fiery furnace.

How many times do we have this kind of faith? While facing the fiery flames of circumstance; do we truly know that our God is able to deliver us? Do we know that whatever God allows within our lives; that He will be there with us, until the flames of our circumstance burn out? If we aren't seeing our circumstance in this way, then we are allowing our God to be portrayed as a weak God and not only that; but we are also delaying the work that God began in us and because of this, we end up suffering needlessly.

Do we truly know within our hearts, that God is able to deliver us? Do we see Him as a God of power and strength...a power that can be greater than any form of weakness? Can God be seen within our fiery furnace of circumstance; just as He was seen in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? If not, then we need to go back to where we first met His Son at the cross and allow God to renew our faith and trust in Him.

Sometimes we can feel as though we are the only ones who go through pain and heartache; but if we would take a moment to look through God's word, then we would see what others have been through, like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These stories would become something more than a story to us; instead, these stories would become words of renewed hope. When we can read about people like these men, who went through insurmountable suffering and read how God delivered them, then we too would once more experience a renewed hope in God.

Who are we Devoted too?

Let's begin today, by reading Daniel 3:16-18, which reads..."Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. (17) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

The first thing we discover in this reading, is that Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were open to God's will...not their own. They made it known to the king, that their God could deliver them from the fiery furnace and they also said that God had the power to deliver them from the kings hand; but no matter what happened; they would remain steadfast in their faith and remain determined, not to give in and bow down to the kings gods or golden image.

Do we have this same kind of faith, when it comes to our circumstances? Satan is trying to make us fall prey to his ways, by trying to place us in the fiery furnace of circumstance. He's using the circumstance to make himself known to us, as something greater than God. He's giving a message to us and this is what he's saying...if you will only give in to my ways and leave your God, then you will never suffer again. Are we like Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego? Are we willing to respond back to Satan and say that our God is able to deliver us? Are we willing to make it known, that there will be no other god but the true and living God? Do we have an attitude, when it comes to Satan's tactics?

No matter what fiery circumstance, Satan has brought into our lives, we need to get an attitude towards Satan and make it known that we will not give in or bow down to his evil ways. We need to rise above these moments and begin to see God as something greater than any other thing. We need to stand up to Satan and make it known to him, that no matter if God delivers us now or later, we will not bow down to him or his evil ways.

The real test comes, when we are facing the moments in our lives, as Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego were. Can we stand firm on God's promises, even when faced with a fiery furnace of circumstance? God isn't allowing these moments into our lives, just to watch us suffer. He's looking to see how devoted we are to Him, even while facing these tough and trying moments.

Is the Strength of our Circumstance Stronger than God?

In Daniel 6:19-22, it reads..."Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. (20) And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? (21) Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. (22) My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."

How many times do we allow the strength of our circumstance to become stronger than our God? We focus so tightly on the pain or heartache in our lives that the strength of each circumstance begins to build before we come to realize that we have allowed the circumstance to appear larger in strength, than a mighty God.

Even when Daniel was thrown in a den of lions; He didn't allow the mouths of the lions to intimidate Him because he already knew that his God's strength and power was greater than the powerful jaws of each lion. He knew that he was innocent and that His God would help him through this difficult moment. Through his faith; an angel appeared to him, as God used the angel to shut the mouths of the lions.

Is there anything too big for our God? Do we make Him limited in our lives; by the way we deal with our circumstances? If we could just take our eyes off the problem and concentrate on a mighty, powerful God, then God would be more able to work through each circumstance and free us from the powerful jaws of Satan.

You may be experiencing pain today but is pain greater than the power of God? You may be without a job; but do you see this problem greater than the God who holds all things within His hands? You may be grieving today; but do you see a broken heart, as something that could become greater than the loving and compassionate heart of God? No matter what you're going through today; God always and will be greater than anything we experience in this life. It's our minds that cause us to detour off the pathway and get caught up in a different way of thinking. That's why we need to keep our thoughts focused on God.

We need to remember that our minds were only created to focus on one thing at a time. God gives us a choice and the final outcome of that choice will determine whether we will continue to feel the crushing blow of the circumstance or whether we will begin to feel the peace and presence of a mighty God.

We Are Nothing without God

What are we seeking for, when we rise and begin a new day? In Acts 17:27-28, it reads..."His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him...though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and are! As one of your own poets says it, we are the sons of God." I think that if we could realize that we are nothing without God...truly, then we would find ourselves seeking for God's presence throughout our day. We need to come to a place, where we realize that we can't move a leg forward without Him...we can't breathe, without His presence breathing through us...we can't lift anything with our hand and arm, unless God is directing us.

The dark moments of circumstance we live in, from one day into another, can allow us to feel as though we have to crawl on our hands and knees, while we feel for the presence of God through the darkness that surrounds us but when we come to the place, where that is all we can do; then God's light will shine down upon us and allow us to know His presence. Many times though...we just sit in the darkness and we give in to the darkness; but that's not what God wants. If we can come to a place in our lives, where we know that we can't even begin a day without Him, then we would rise in the morning and begin to seek Him from the start.

When I think of the words in these verses, which reads..."For in him we live and move and are;" I think of a turtle in a shell. As long as the turtle remains in its shell, then it can keep pressing on, even if it's at a slow speed but what would happen if the turtle walked out of its shell? What would allow the shell to move? The turtle would have to re-enter its shell before the shell could move forward. In a similar way, we are like the shell of the turtle. As long as we have the spirit of God in us, then we can move forward in life; but what would happen, if the spirit of God wasn't living within our shell of a person? Well...we would just remain still with no purpose or no means of moving forward and definitely no hope to come through the dark moments of circumstance.

We need to come to a place in our lives; where we are nothing but a shell. We need to realize that it's the Spirit of God that allows our shell of a person, to have purpose and renewed hope.

Recognizing God's Power

There are moments when our circumstance can dictate itself to us. The pain and heartache we go through can make itself known as something more powerful than God. It seems as though the moments we feel the strongest...ends up becoming the weakest; as Satan begins to lurk around us, while looking for one weak moment to take us down.

In Hebrews 1:3, it reads..."God's Son shines out with God's glory, and all that God's Son is and does marks him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command." There are days when the sun shines; while other days bring gloom and dreariness. There are times when the stars dance, with a sparkle in the night sky; while other times, a star may fall from the sky. The ocean can become so clear and calm; while at other moments, the ocean reveals its power, with waves that stand so tall. Seasons can bring green leaves and grass and blue skies; while other seasons reveal a time of dormancy, as leaves begin to fall from each tree. These moments reveal the presence of a mighty hand at work, as God controls the universe and everything that surrounds us.

There may be days when we experience no pain or heartache; while other days allow it to come in with great force but just as God has control over every living thing, including the time each thing is meant to live or die or fall from the sky or a tree; He also controls our lives in a similar way.

We may experience pain or heartache but even as God has control over every living thing on this planet; He too has control over us. Even though our pain and heartache may display its power to us at times; we need to remember that there is a God that is much greater. With one breathe of His presence; a star can leave the suspension it once had and fall to the ground.

Even though our pain and heartache may try to dictate a wrong message to us; we need to rise above those moments and reflect on the powerful presence of God; for these are the moments that will give us renewed hope. Take time to look at nature. That alone will remind you of His great and awesome power. As I look outside my door right now, I see snow but even though that snow is here today, that doesn't mean it will be here tomorrow. It's not nature that has control; but instead, it's God that controls nature and just as God can decide what will happen with the weather today and what will happen with the weather tomorrow; He also can make a way for us. We may experience the pounding presence of pain today or we may be experiencing the powerful force of grief and heartache; but that doesn't mean that this will be His plan for tomorrow.

We find hope, when we live one day at a time...we find hope when we allow a powerful God to take control of our lives. I pray that this will become a new step in all of our lives...a step that will cause us to draw closer to God and further away from the pain and heartache.

God's Mercies Renew Us through Times of Adversity

There can be moments when we feel desolate and forsaken by God. We know that He lives within us; but why can't we feel Him at work in our lives? In Isaiah 54:7, it reads..."For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee."
It's not always easy to understand the ways of God. Why does He allow pain and heartache into our lives, when He has the means of instantly removing these problems? We could go on and on; while we pour out every question before God. Maybe we just expect God to heal us or to make the pain and heartache go away but what happens when none of those things take place? Does God even love us anymore or maybe we've done something so wrong in our lives that have kept God distant from us.

I think the answer to all these questions come, when we are willing to wait upon Him and watch Him work in our lives according to His desires instead of ours. The verse above says that "For a small moment have I forsaken thee." Why would a God of such love forsake us at the moment when we need His help the most? I mean...I thought He died to free us from these things, instead of allowing ourselves to be placed into bondage. But are we really being placed into bondage or what is God up to? I believe that He's turning His head for one moment of satisfaction, as a test, to see if we will cry out to Him or try and figure out the need on our own.

The second part of this verse says..."...but with great mercies will I gather thee." Wow! So, God isn't going to leave us forever...just for a short time, so we can come to realize that we can't make it out of these painful moments, without knowing that He is the only One who can make everything come together. Sometimes, He allows us to be shattered, so with a heart of compassion, He can pick up the pieces and place them back together, where they were always meant to be. When God can be the One to pick up the broken pieces of pain and heartache, then His work will be seen, not only to us; but also to a world that is living with no hope at all.

It's not God's desire to torture us; instead, it's His plan to use what Satan sees as a failure, so Satan becomes defeated, while the world comes to see God in a new light. No matter what you may be going through today; don't give up on God. Remember...He's just turning His head from us, for one small moment, so that with great mercies or a heart of compassion; He can save us and draw us closer to Him, while others view His handiwork.

Comforted...that we may Comfort Others

There can be times in our lives when we wonder why God hasn't healed us. Does He still love us? Has He abandoned us or forsaken us? In II Corinthians 1:3-4, it reads..."Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (4) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Sometimes, we have to experience the blows of a trial, so we can experience the comforting presence of a loving God. Once we have experienced the comfort that comes from a great and mighty God; we too learn how to pass this comforting spirit unto others in need.

While going through many, many years of pain and heartache; I couldn't always understand God's reasons, for allowing me to hurt so much. I just couldn't see how a God of great power would continue to allow these moments of suffering into my life. Then one day, my eyes and heart began to truly experience the comforting spirit that could only come from a loving God.

Many times, I would come home from my counseling in tears. I was attending group counseling, for a past sexual abuse. The weight of the past began to weigh heavier upon me, as each painful moment began to open up to me, as though I was reliving the past all over again. As each session became more painful; I began to feel as though I couldn't bare these awful memories anymore.

One day, after coming home to an empty house in tears; God began to comfort my broken spirit, as He taught me how to memorize a Bible verse and use it as a tool, when the pain and heartache began to kick in full force. I would memorize a verse that God had laid upon my heart for that particular day and then I would take this verse with me, as a means of being comforted by God, while dealing with many other painful moments. These moments became the time, when I began to feel the arms of a mighty God surrounding me, until I had come out of the worst of the storm.

From there, God began to reshape my heart, through the comfort He gave me, while dealing with one of the worst things of my life. As my heart began to trade the pain and heartache for a comforting spirit; I too began to have the heart that would eventually reach out to many other people who were hurting in similar ways. Now God has comforted me, in a way that would allow me to be of comfort to others. Since the time God comforted my broken spirit; He has now allowed me to be of comfort to many others through 9 years of ministry

There can be times when we do wonder if God has walked away from us and forgotten our needs; but when we read these verses, we realize too, that He may be reshaping our lives, through the pain and heartache we go through; that we may take the comfort He's given us, so we can be there for someone else in need. Can you imagine what kind of a world we'd be living in, if everyone took the comfort God gave to us and used it to help others?

Loving God through Affliction

We have now begun a brand new year! What will God have for us in the days to come? Only He knows; as He has known since the day we were born into this world.

Abraham himself was learning about a new God and because of that, he went through a lot of uncertainties. There were times when Abraham and his people were getting low on supplies, as they began to follow their new God. They couldn't understand how this God would bring them so far and not provide and meet their needs? I'm sure that Abraham even wondered if he had made the right decision, to leave family and friends and follow after a God he had just met for the first time; but even though he had moments when he was unsure about this new God...he continued to press on. Later, Abraham realized that he needed to depend completely on his God, instead of trying to figure life out on his own.

We all have moments when we wonder where God is. We feel abandoned and forsaken, as we continue to face other difficulties in our lives but yet there is something tugging at our hearts that allows us to keep following God, even when we say that we can't go on anymore. I believe that this feeling comes from a God that refuses to let go of us.

While Abraham and Sarah went through trying times; I believe that God was allowing those moments, so that they would turn to God and learn to depend on God. There may be moments when we can't figure out God's ways either. We may be trying to figure Him out and wonder why He hasn't met our needs. Maybe He's trying to tell us that He hasn't abandoned us; but instead, He is using these moments, so we will focus our attention on Him, instead of the problems and the questions that fill us with so many uncertainties.

From my own experiences...the closer I am to God, the easier life gets. When we let Him know that we can't even breathe without His help and that He is the provider for all things in our lives, then we will not only have a connection with Him; but we will also have a connection to all His benefits and sources of help. How can we expect to be blessed by God, when we aren't close to Him and connected with Him throughout each day? God doesn't want to just hear the words..."I Love You"! He wants to see them in action; especially during the difficult moments in our lives.

Fear Can Become a Roadblock to Trust

When we have real trust in God, then we can go on with our day, while God picks up all the broken pieces of our lives. How many of us can truly do this? It's so easy to say...Yes Lord, I trust you but what really happens when we are faced with an obstacle?

In Proverbs 3:5, 6, it reads..."Trust the Lord completely; don't ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success." Only God knows what He has in store for us. As we enter each day...we are entering a day with blinded eyes, until each event of the day, is unfolded before us.

As we enter a new day, will we be able to trust the footsteps we walk into; for we could be walking in footprints of peace or footprints that are unknown to us? Do we feel as though we need to test the waters first or do we have enough trust to just step into the footprint that is before us?

When we are able to step directly into an unknown footprint, then we are giving God a message that He would never allow anything more than what we are able to handle. When we find the strength and trust through God, to step into the footprint without fear, then this will reveal to God, that we are trusting in Him more, than in the unknown moments we face. By facing these moments head on, with a complete heart of trust, God will take the efforts we put forth and He will crown them with success.

Do we ever stop to think that the moments of failure only come about, when we allow fear to take full grip of our hearts; to the place where we can't trust God completely? How do we come to the place where we don't doubt; where we can turn to complete trust, as we enter the footsteps that God has placed before us? The more we experience the trying moments in our lives with complete trust; the more we truly know a God who can do all things.

Trusting God All the Way

As we walk through one day...into one month, and out of one year, we should see these moments, in a similar way, to when we move from one home to another. We should take all the good memories with us into the new year but as we walk through the door of this year, we should leave the bad memories behind, so we can begin a new year, with a fresh start.

As we walk through the days that remain in this year, we should prepare ourselves to create new memories that are filled with the presence of God's goodness. If we choose to carry old baggage into the new year, than we allow the pain and despair to continue on. When we pack our bags and move forward, then we should only take what we need with us...things that will bring about better times to come. Most of all, we need to make sure that we take God with us. When Jesus laid down His life for us, He became the pathway that would lead us into the purpose He has always had planned for our lives. Not only will He lead us but He will be there to sustain us too. When we step one foot out of an old day, month, or year and we place our next step into the footprints that God has laid out before us, then we have a new beginning that will lead us into new and better days ahead. When we can follow in God's footprints from the very beginning, of this brand new year, then our lives will be different and our lives will be filled with peace, happiness and hope.

Are we prepared to enter a new year with God? Is our bags weighed down with things that will continue to keep us in despair or are we just packing light...knowing that God will make the way for us, as we follow in His footsteps? Life can seem so overwhelming at times, that we forget and take everything with us but these are the moments, when we need to lay our own thoughts and desires to the side and prepare, with an open mind and heart, to receive from God.

Are we ready to step directly into the footprints that God has for us, in this new year? Are we ready to get rid of the unwanted baggage, so we can move on, into better days? I pray that we will be able to leave the excess baggage behind and look for the best that God has to offer us...knowing that He will always allow us to walk on the pathway that only leads us, towards His love and goodness.

Turning Our Worry into Praise

Why do we allow our problems to control us, rather than turning to God for help and guidance? Why is it that we feel confusion, frustration and anxiety, more than peace? What can we do, so our problems and thoughts don't try to overtake us? In Psalm 16:7-8, it reads..."I will bless the Lord who counsels me; he gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do. I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or to fall.

What is the main answer that can resolve these questions that we ask ourselves, from time to time? Near the end of this Bible reading, it says..."I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or fall." So, here we find the answer, that will resolve every question we've talked about and the answer is to remain focused on God, rather than the circumstance. When we are constantly focused on the power of God, then our thoughts will become like a magnet, that draws us completely to Him; but we also need to remember that if we are placing our complete attention on the problem, then we will always find ourselves looking straight, into the face of the problem.

Once we find ourselves concerned about what God can do for us, rather than what the problem is already doing to us, then our thoughts will not only cause us to become drawn to God; but we will soon discover that we don't have to be concerned about whether we will stumble or fall because our thoughts and hearts, will help us to remain, in the refuge, of a strong God. If we are dwelling on the things of God, then our thoughts will not only draw us closer to Him but our thoughts will become a message, that allows God to see that we care more about the help He can give us, rather than, how the problem is affecting us.

When we can focus on God, then we will have a reason to praise Him, rather than worrying about the problem. As we draw closer to God, then He will also be able to counsel us and give us the wisdom we need, so we can walk away, from the dark days of despair.

Is Money Our god or is God Our Provider?

Why do we get so caught up into money, as though it's a god we come to each day for help? Seems like the minute we run out of money, we panic, as though this small god has let us down. We need to get our eyes focused back on the true God, that can provide and make a way for us...a God that already owns everything within this world and can provide through any source that He wishes...a God that can become the true source we turn to, when we are in need.

In I Timothy 6:17 it reads..."Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." When we turn to money as the only source for our needs, then it's as if we have made money into an idle of worship. We all need money to pay our bills and buy food, etc... But that doesn't mean that money is the main source of our provision. Instead, money is something that is used by God to help us, as a blessing from Him. When we turn money into a god of its own, then we find that we no longer depend on the true God, for our provisions.

At one time, we were facing some problems with our truck. We decided to give the entire need to God. We knew that we would need some source of provision, especially if there was something seriously wrong with the truck. As we began our devotion that day, we decided to keep God as our main source of provision, instead of our money. To make a long story short...we found out what the problem was and when we asked how much we owed; the man said that we didn't owe him anything. They decided to use this as a way of learning and doing research on this kind of problem.

That day, we weren't just blessed by God but we were able to view first hand, how God can provide in different ways. God had allowed these mechanics to study the problem, as they fixed our truck and because they worked on the truck in this way; they decided to not charge us for the parts and labor. After hearing this, we raised our hands in the air, as we praised God and thanked Him, for His special source of provision. So, see...God can use other ways to provide for us, if we are only willing to let Him become the main source of our provision.

No matter what you may be going through today...whether you've lost your job, need help with a stack of medical bills or other bills, or have some other special kind of need, just remember that God longs to be your source of provision. Place your needs before Him and trust Him to be your main source of provision and then go about your business, as you watch God begin a great work in your life.

God's Promise of Love

There can be times, when we feel as though it's going to be another year, with the same old life and the same old problems but we don't have to think this way, when there is a God that longs to share so much of His love and goodness with us.

As I was looking through my study Bible, I found a verse in I John 4:9, 10, which reads..."God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death. In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God, but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God's anger against our sins. We know how much God loves us because we have felt his love and because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly." Wow! I love the way that these verses depict God's true love for us!

In this world we live in, there can be times, when we feel as though we have to prove our love to others and when we fail to achieve this, then we feel rejected and hurt but here is a God that chose us, before we even chose Him; for it was His love that allowed Him to create us and since God was the One who chose us, we never have to fear rejection and we never have to fear, that one day He may abandon us. We need to remember that God did not choose to love us, just so He could walk out of our lives and He would have never went to a cross, to become the complete sacrifice for our sins, unless His love for us was real.

No matter what you may be going through today...whether it be chronic pain, rejection from someone you love or heartache and depression; just remember this...God always stands firm upon His promises of love and even though Jesus died many years ago, He remains the One who longs to keep us close to Him each day. Why would a God of love pay the complete penalty for the sins of the entire world, only to walk away and abandon us?

We may feel rejection by others and we may feel that no one understands our pain and heartache but there is a God that surrounds us with an unconditional love...a love that will always remain close to us...a love that will never walk away and most of all...a love that will be here for us, no matter what we go through in life.

Using Our Afflictions in a Greater Way

No matter what God may be allowing into our life, for the moment, do we allow Jesus to be seen through our afflictions? While going through difficult times, it may not always be the easiest thing to accomplish because maybe we are tired from the pain or maybe we are frustrated, after going out day after day, while looking for a job. No matter what we may be going through, our problems will reveal to the world, that we either are living with a weak God or a strong God.

In I John 4:7-8, it reads..."Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are getting to know him better. But if a person isn't loving and kind, it shows that he doesn't know God...for God is love." First of all, we need to remember that God stands for love. When we have Him living within us, then His love should radiate through us, to others. When we are going through very difficult moments in our lives but yet, we are able to show others the love of God; then we are also finding out that we are getting to know God better; by the way we share His love with others. The more strength we gain through weakness...the more we become like God. What happens though, when we don't reveal love and kindness, while going through struggles in our lives? Yes...it not only makes God look weak to others but we are also finding out, that we didn't know God, in the way we thought we knew Him.

We all go through one struggle or another and when we are hurting, whether it be physical or emotional, our personality can change and reveal our weaknesses, rather than God's strength. When we notice this happening in our lives, this is the time when we need to make a change in our thoughts and actions, as we begin to relate to God's ongoing strength. We need to allow Him to become the example, to follow, during these difficult moments in our lives. When we can allow God's strength to become the example to live by, then we will find it easier to accomplish His strength, rather than endure our weaknesses.

Does God Have the Rightful Place,

He Deserves in our Hearts?

Why do we give our lives over to God; but yet we don't allow Him to lead us in His direction? Why do we get our minds so set on something going a certain way in our lives; instead of looking for God's desires to be made complete in and through us?

In Proverbs 3:5-7, it reads..."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil." How many times do we pray and ask for God to help us through a circumstance; but yet in the background, we are expecting Him to do it our way. When we handle our circumstances in this way, then we are just setting ourselves up for a big letdown.

Why do we allow Jesus to come into our lives; if we are expecting everything to be according to our own desires, instead of His will? In verse 5, it's saying that we need to trust God completely; not just when it's convenient for us. Then the remainder of the verse goes on to say that we need to quit leaning on our own understanding or our own ways. If we are going to lean on our own understanding, then why do we need God's understanding?

Verse 6 goes on to say that we need to acknowledge Christ in every way, which means that every circumstance should be given and directed by God and Him, alone. When we allow God to have the circumstance, then He will be able to lead us down the pathways that will direct us into His will.

As we go on into verse 7, it continues on to say that we aren't supposed to be wise in our own eyes. When we attempt to be wise in our own way of thinking, then God won't be there. Instead, Satan will see a place of weakness and from there; he will walk right on in and control our thoughts and hearts. Instead of trying to follow our own thoughts and desires; we are supposed to fear God and walk away from evil. When we fear God, then we are allowing Him to see that we long for His desires, instead of our own. As we continue to look for God's direction in life; these moments will also take us away from the lying schemes of Satan.

When something doesn't go the way we expect it to; that doesn't mean that God has given up on us or that He had never heard our prayer to begin with. Instead, this may mean that He is looking out for us, in a way that we could never do for ourselves. Maybe if He was to answer our prayer in the way we expected Him to answer it; then maybe this answer could have lead us down a pathway, that would have lead us into a danger zone with Satan. We don't always understand God's reasoning's; but one thing we need to remember, is that God knows what's best for us and if we are going to give Him our lives, then that means that we need to also trust Him.

When we push God and demand Him to answer our prayers our way, then we have invited God to only live within us. God ends up being a piece of decor within our hearts, instead of being the God that reigns and rules over all things. I pray that we will allow God to have the place that He so rightfully deserves within our hearts and in return, I pray that we may experience the very best, that can only come from a loving and powerful God!

God is Closest to the One with a Broken Heart

For many, pain can become a person's daily way of living. They wake up with pain...go through their day with pain and sometimes go to bed with pain. Pain can affect the mind, to the place where there is no room for nothing but the pain. The mind longs to do everything, while the body can't seem to catch up.

In Psalm 41:3, it reads..."The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." In other words, there may be times when our pain doesn't leave our worn out bodies but in its place, God becomes the one who sustains us and restores us, to a place where we can continue to press on, in spite of the pain. With my own pain, I like to look at it this way...God becomes the set of crutches that keeps me lifted up, from one day to the next. The one crutch may represent strength, while the other crutch may represent God's sustaining power.

People, who don't experience pain, can't always understand the frustration one goes through, while living with pain. Someone who lives with no pain may hurry out of bed in the morning...race to get around and dash off to work or wherever they may be headed for the day, while the one with pain has to give their body a pep talk...just so they can get out of bed in the morning.

One verse that has always been there to keep me lifted up during these frustrating moments is found in Psalm 34:18a, which reads..."The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking..." For the one who is suffering with pain; many around them may not be able to understand or care but there is someone who not only cares but longs to become a friend...a friend that can fill the empty voids in their lives and make their day seem a bit brighter and that friend is Jesus.

As Christians, we know that God is always near but sometimes we need to feel that He is especially close to us, when others around us don't seem to understand our needs. We need to remember that Jesus is a friend that longs to share in our pain. He knew the meaning of pain, when He died a lonely death on the cross. He knew pain before we would feel our first moments of pain.

We don't have to sit in our lonely moments of pain, when there is a God who experienced pain first hand. Even though Jesus' Father was with Him during the painful moments of the cross; Jesus was still experiencing moments of rejection, while others with uncaring hearts cried out..."Crucify Him...Crucify Him."

No matter what kind of pain you may be experiencing today, you don't have to feel alone during these moments because there is someone you can talk to and He will understand what you are facing for the moment and His name is Jesus Christ. Turn to Him today...talk with Him about your pain and what you are going through because He is a God who truly cares! He will never grow tired of you, as you cry out to Him, through your pain. Instead, He will help you and allow you to feel His closeness, at a moment when you need Him the most.

Finding God, through Insult and a Broken Heart

Why do we allow people to steel our joy and happiness? If we were to look at these moments through a worldly view; we may become discouraged and depressed, over the way we are treated by those we once felt trust for. What can we do to help ourselves, when it comes to insults and persecution?

In Matthew 5:10-12, 44-45, it reads..."Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. When you are reviled and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers...wonderful! Be happy about it! Be very glad! for a tremendous reward awaits you up in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted too...But I say; Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too."

I remember a time when I was going through a lot of physical and emotional pain in my life. One day, while Keith was at work; I remember looking up to a picture of Jesus over our fireplace, while saying..."this just doesn't make sense to me. How can I rejoice, while going through all of this physical and emotional pain?" After reading several passages in the Bible; God began to show me that when we rejoice through physical and emotional pain; these become the moments when we are relaying a message of truth from our hearts to God and that message is saying that we are true followers of Jesus Christ. In other words...we rejoice because we know that these moments of suffering are keeping us connected to God.

Now, if a worldly person was to look at their own moments of emotional and physical pain, then they would only see those moments of deep despair, with blame and no hope in sight. We need to understand that these moments of physical and emotional pain aren't meant to keep us down; but instead, they are meant to bring new strength and renewed hope into our lives, so we can rise above the despair and find God in a greater way. We need to remember too, that we aren't the first ones to go through these trying times; because the people of ancient times experienced them also. In fact, they went through them in a much more difficult way. Let's look at Paul and Silas for a moment. They were beaten and thrown into a prison and shackled to the wall but instead of succumbing to those moments in their lives; they rose above them and began to sing and praise God and because of this; they were set free.

When we allow the insults and persecutions of this day to take us down, then we aren't showing others that there is a strong God living within us; instead, we are allowing a hurting world to see a weak God. When we can pray for others, especially those who come against us, then we are defeating the ways of Satan. We need to remember that those who are insulting us and persecuting us may be on their way to hell, so if we aren't praying and rejoicing through these moments, then we aren't helping them to find God; instead we are helping them to keep falling deeper into the pits of hell.

Going through insults, pain and persecution, isn't always an easy way to travel with God. I guess what's helped me a lot lately is this...what if we were in the other person's shoes? Wouldn't we wish that someone would see the need of our heart, even when we couldn't see the need ourselves? Wouldn't we hope that someone would pray for us, instead of always looking at all of our faults?

God wants us to put our heavenly glasses on today. He wants us to rejoice with Him, even though we experience insults and pain. This way, we not only relay a good message to God; but at the same time we are slapping Satan in the face, while praying for the need of the person who hurt us.

None of us are perfect...we all have our faults; but now is the time when we need to rejoice in a God that is full of strength and power...a God who can not only help us but a God that can help the one who had been used by Satan to afflict and wound our hearts. May we continue to look for God's very best, instead of wallowing in the muck of despair!

Resting assured that God is in Control

Today, I thought that we would take a twist and talk about "peace"...God's peace...the only peace that can calm these moments we go through in our lives. In Isaiah 26:3, it reads..."Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Could it be that we have our minds more deeply focused on how frustrated or agitated we are? Are we allowing our minds and hearts to sink deep into the pit of depression? The only way we are going to experience the perfect peace that can calm any storm in life; is when our mind remains focused on God.

Look at the words in this verse..."Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace..." First of all, the peace we try to obtain through a worldly standpoint only becomes a temporary peace. For example; we go and buy ourselves something or take a trip or do something of enjoyment; these things will only give us peace and happiness for the moments we live them but what about God's peace? When our minds are completely focused on God, then we not only receive the presence of God; but we also connect ourselves to all of His benefits...with peace being one of them.

Ok...the next section of this verse says..."whose mind is stayed on thee:" This doesn't mean that we can focus on God when it's only convenient for us. If we are truly a Christian, then everything in life should tie into the presence of a great God. In other words; our minds and hearts should remain focused on God. We should be so deeply in love with God that our minds always long to be connected to the mind of Christ.

The final section of this verse says..."because he trusteth in thee." This part of the verse ties everything together. In other words...God will keep us in a place of perfect peace, when our minds are deeply connected to the mind of Christ. Finally...what is the main ingredient we need, so we can automatically keep our mind focused on Christ? Yes...trust. If we are placing our total trust in Christ, then our minds will automatically connect to Him. But...what happens when we place our trust in our problems instead of Christ? We find that we become more focused on our problems, which takes us further away from Christ; where Satan can have his way with us.

No matter what we are facing today...whether it be a chronic illness, no job or just a bad day; the only way we are going to experience the perfect peace that comes from God...the peace that can ease our minds of any problem, is to trust Him first. We need to know 100% that He will take care of everything. Once we can be assured that God is in control, then our minds will become more deeply fixed on Him, while His peace becomes like a river to our soul.

Worthy of God's Love

Another problem we can deal with at times is low self-esteem. We can sometimes go too far with low self-esteem; to the place where we don't even feel worthy of God's love. In Romans 12:3-5, it reads..."As God's messenger I give each of you God's warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others."

God designed each of us in a way; so that when we all complete the personal plan that God has destined for us, then that will allow the whole master plan to be made complete through Him. The one problem we face most of all is Satan. It's not his desire to see God's work completed, so Satan has a way of taking individuals and placing them in a time of low self-esteem; that it makes it difficult for them to complete the purpose and plan that God has for their lives. They find it difficult to just put one foot in front of the other because the low self-esteem tends to halt them and keep them in a prison of despair.

In these verses, God is saying that we can be cured from low self-esteem; just by measuring ourselves by the amount of faith we have. If we are experiencing low self-esteem, then it could be that our faith in God is low too. We need to jump start our faith and allow it to soar above the heavens, so we can stand and walk in the steps that God has given for us each day.

In the verses above, it says that..."Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body." In other words; we have arms, legs, feet, etc..., which become many parts to our bodies. In a similar way; when we all come together...serving God with the purpose He destined for each of us; then we are making up the body of Christ.

As we follow below, we also read that..."We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do," which means that God fashioned us in a way, so we could all bring His plan to a completion.

What we need to do is work with God on our faith and come to the realization that we are first of all...worthy of God's love. Once we can accept His love, then our faith will begin to take root and then we will be able to press on and complete the purpose that God has given for each of us.

God walks with us through the Seasons of our Lives

This morning, there's a chill in the air that goes right to the bone. Winter is drawing closer and the signs of fall are behind us now. The mountains that once showed their beauty through the colors of fall are now appearing to be darker in color, with specks of snow. It's amazing to watch the transition from one season to the next. It's as though one season begins to overlap into the next season, until the season completes itself and reveals its arrival.

There are times, when our lives can feel similar, to the seasons of the year. We feel, as though, the beauty of summertime will never end, until we begin to see, that God is leading us into a new season. The early signs of a new season may reveal that God is doing something different in our lives and then finally, the season that God has allowed, comes in full force. There are times when we feel as though we are skipping from the beauty of summer, into the bitter and dormant signs of winter but just as God watches over every living thing and guides them through each season, He will also do the same for us. God doesn't allow us to walk into a season alone. He has full control of the seasons in our lives, from start to finish. This is the hope we cling too, when the winter seasons of circumstance, feel as though they will never come to an end.

When we know that God is walking through the different seasons in our lives, then we can have a settled feeling that He is in control. He may allow a trial to come into our lives but He has control over how much is brought into our lives too. Just as fall is about to end, so winter can come in; God allows us to go through one season and when He has accomplished His work in our lives for that particular season, then He brings us out into a better season.

We as Christians really do have life easy but it's the little moments of frustration that we add to that simplicity that allows our problems to seem so overwhelming. If we could just walk through the seasons of our lives with God and have a settled feeling that He knows what He's up to, then we will have a much easier time, as we walk, from one season into the next.

Loneliness Doesn't Mean that God Isn't Near

During the holidays; loneliness can be another thing that Satan takes advantage of in our lives. There may be many people who will have one less chair at the table; due to losing someone in the military or someone may have lost a child or loved one, that meant so much to them, especially around this time of the year.

Loneliness can also come in another form and this form of loneliness is with those who live with someone but yet feel so alone in their own world of chronic illness and pain. This form of loneliness can also be due to marital problems or other break ups, due to dysfunctional families. No matter what kind of loneliness you face; it still can be very difficult to deal with, especially this time of the year.

Today, I would like to share several Bible references that have helped me throughout my life. The first one is found in Psalms 4:8, which reads..."I will lie down in peace and sleep, for though I am alone, O Lord, you will keep me safe." The night hours can especially be difficult, when dealing with loneliness but when we know that God is there with us; then we can find an eternal peace, that will allow us to feel cradled into the loving arms of God.

The second verse I would like to share is found in Isaiah 54:10, which reads..."For the mountains may depart and the hills disappear, but my kindness shall not leave you. My promise of peace for you will never be broken, says the Lord who has mercy upon you." There can be moments in our lives when it feels as though everything is crashing down beneath our feet. Loneliness can creep in during the difficult moments, when we face one struggle after another; but we don't have to allow ourselves to remain in this state of mind because God has promised us that His kindness will never leave us. We only feel distant from God, when we allow the circumstances to remain high on the totem pole of our daily lives but God has something that He gives us every day and that daily gift is "mercy". This means that each day is being renewed by God, so when we feel as though our day has taken us to a place of overwhelming loneliness; we have the assurance, that the next day will bring new things from God.

The final Bible reference that God has used so many times in my own personal life, is found in John 14:18, which reads..."No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm...I will come to you." Life's experiences and the loss of friends and family can make us feel abandoned and alone in life; but God wants us to know that He will never leave us; in fact, He will come to us but we must make Him welcome, in order to experience that kind of presence. When we allow ourselves to be caught up in our moments of loneliness and strife, then we will never experience the close and loving presence of God.

Through my own pain, I can feel lonely. Yes...I have a great husband who cares so much for me; but the pain has a way of taking our thoughts and hearts away from those around us. Satan can use pain to separate us from life itself; but when we find ourselves caught into this kind of a trap; right then is the moment when we need to connect ourselves to God through a heart of prayer. I find that when I love God through my pain or any other thing I may be going through, then I am weakening Satan's controlling power.

God Can Lift You from Despair

Sometimes I think that one of the most difficult things that Satan uses against us is depression. Many live with chronic illnesses and pain, along with other problems that we face from day to day; but depression seems to take a controlling grip upon us and Satan knows just the right time to use depression...when we are weak.

I would like to share a few special verses, that have always seemed to keep me lifted up and they are found in Psalm 40:1-3, which reads..."I waited patiently for God to help me; then he listened and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God."

Especially around the holidays; people can become depressed. Maybe it's because they are without a job or maybe everything around them seems so dismal and hopeless...especially through the dreary winter months but God is not only a great physician; He's also a great counselor. He is a God that is there 24/7 and never sleeps; which allows Him to be alert to our cries.

These verses have shown me, that when we wait upon God and remain committed to Him; then He will hear our cry and respond. He will come to us...whether we are in a pit of despair or caught in the bog and mire of depression. He will not only lift us out of these moments of despair; but He will also place us on a better pathway; one that is firm, so He can steady us and keep us moving forward with Him. Once we allow God to do this for us; then peace will begin to take over depression and we will once more begin to feel a song come into our hearts...a song that will be of praise to God.

No matter what you may be facing today; I encourage you to not give into despair and depression; but instead...allow God to lift you out of these places, where Satan may have you trapped. God is already waiting for your call; all we need to do is cry out to Him. Once He hears our cries of desperation; He will come and free us.

We need to remember that there is no other way; because Jesus...God's Son has already defeated evil. Satan knows that too but he also knows that he can work with us on an individual basis, so these moments will come but we do not have to remain in them; because of what Christ did on the cross.

A Peace that Sustains

What will help to keep anxiety away, while going through a trying circumstance in our lives? What can really help us to reach that place, where we feel God's peace, rather than the frustration and anxiety that can stem from a problem? Let's turn to Philippians 4:6, 7, which reads..."Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."

So the first thing we need to do is get rid of all the worries. When we place our worries and concerns above the power of a mighty God, then we create road blocks, which will only delay us, from reaching the next step, which is to connect with God through prayer. Once the road blocks of worry are taken out of the way, then we can have a one to one talk with God about our needs and receive a clear connection between ourselves and God. After telling God about all of our needs, then we need to seal our prayers with a heart of thankfulness. When we can truly thank God, for what He is about to do, after each prayer, then we are sending a message to Him; that there is nothing He cannot do.

Once we have talked with God and sealed our prayers with a heart of thankfulness, then we will begin to experience a peace, that will keep our hearts and thoughts quiet, while we remain focused on what God can do.

We need to remember that the peace that God gives us isn't meant to be temporary, like the peace the world offers us. Instead, the peace we experience from God should be an ongoing peace, where we find ourselves relaxed and at ease, so we can move forward, on the pathway that God desires for us to follow, while depending on a greater source of power, rather than the power that our circumstance attempts to use, as a means of dictating our lives.

God Will Never Forget

In Psalm 37:7, it reads..."Rest in the Lord: wait patiently for him to act. Don't be envious of evil men who prosper." These are great words of wisdom, for those of us who go through very trying circumstances. Sometimes it's not always easy to watch the evil man prosper, while we continually go through one thing after another. I think the problem we face...is that we are so busy looking for life to go our way or we try to compare our lives with others; that we have bypassed God's ways altogether. Resting in the Lord means that we aren't disturbed by any other thing that's happening around us because we know that God will work everything out according to His plan.

Being patient, while waiting for God to work everything out isn't always easy. Let's read on into James 5:7-8, which reads..."Now as for you, dear brothers who are waiting for the Lord's return, be patient, like a farmer who waits until the autumn for his precious harvest to ripen. Yes, be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near." In these verses, God is teaching us to be patient like the farmer. The farmer prepares the soil...plants the seed but then there is a lot of waiting, while the crops ripen and become ready for harvest. Let's say that the farmer harvested his crops too soon because he had grown impatient or envious of other farmers...what would become of his crop? Because of his impatience or envious attitude, he wouldn't reap anything from a crop that wasn't ripened.

We need to remember that God always knows the right time...the time when everything is at its ripened stage. It's not always easy for us to understand why a person without God seems to have it all but one thing we must remember, is that there will come a day when God will pick us up and take us away from the long days we've spent in the field of despair.

The world may have it all right now but what will they find for themselves later? As Christians...we have the hope that one day Jesus will come and we will be taken from despair and gathered up, within the arms of a loving God. Maybe it's time for us to take our eyes away from the world and start focusing on the One who can take us away from despair for all of eternity.

Walking Away from Frustration to Discover the Peace of God's Presence

Frustration can be one of the most difficult things to deal with in our daily lives. When we feel as though something isn't quite falling into place, we can easily become frustrated. No matter what the ongoing problem may be; these times of affliction can lead us into moments of frustration.

In Hebrews 10:36, it reads..."You need to keep on patiently doing God's will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised." No matter how frustration hits us, we need to keep moving forward in life. When we stop living and fall prey to frustration, then we will never come to see, all that God has planned for our lives.

Frustration is a weapon that Satan uses, to keep us down and out of commission. He knows that when he has us in a place where we can't see anything good in life, then we will never continue to walk side by side with God. This is Satan's way of disabling us, so we can't carry through with God's plan.

Part of the battle in life is to fight back, rather than allow Satan's weapons to wound or destroy us. You may say...how do we fight back? We need to use the weapon that God has given us to fight back with, and that is to keep pressing on. The verse above says that we need to keep on patiently doing God's will, if we want to see Him accomplish all that He has promised to do for us. When we can press on, even though we face the difficult moments of frustration, then we are destroying the work of the enemy and allowing him to see that there is a power that is greater than his and that power comes from Jesus Christ.

Whether you are living without a job...living with chronic illness and pain...fighting depression... or just trying to make it from one day into the next, we all must remember to keep pressing on. We need to stand tall and walk right through the fog of frustration, until we find the light of God's presence, once more shining down upon our pathway.

Renewed through Courage

Today, as I was looking through God's word; He opened up Psalms 27:13-14 to me, which reads..."I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (14) Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

What if we didn't have God as a piece of renewed hope, while going through these trying moments of change in our lives? I think that we would completely throw in the towel and give up altogether. It's only through these discouraging moments, that God reveals His goodness, in a way that keeps us going, even when we want to give up.

Instead of thinking about the moments when life has taken a drastic turn; we need to wait on God and allow Him to replace the moments of discouragement, with a greater courage that only God can use to lift us up with. Once we have discovered His goodness and courage, instead of the moments that were meant to bring us low by Satan; then we will discover that our hearts have been strengthened and renewed by a loving God.

We all go through moments of change, whether it be through chronic pain, grief, or other emotional changes that seem to find their way into our lives; but if we were to stop for a moment and look for the courage, that only God can give to keep us strong, then we would once more feel renewed and strengthened by a powerful God. We need to remember that God doesn't allow anything to be taken away from us; unless He has a way to replace these moments of discouragement in our lives.

Reflecting on God Rather than Adversity

How many times do we ask ourselves...how long will God allow us to walk down these pathways of adversity? Will this road ever come to an end? How do we respond to moments like these? In Psalms 13:2, 5 it says..."How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? (5) But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation." I just love the way David responds to his adversity in these verses! At first, David is crying out to God, while he's asking God..."how long will I have to take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily," which means...how many more days am I going to have to keep pressing on, while walking down this overwhelming pathway of affliction.

David begins with a heart of overwhelming sorrow and misery but by time he reaches the moments that he wrote about in verse 5, He begins to change his way of thinking. David realizes that when he can trust in the mercy of a powerful God, then he can find a reason to rejoice. Instead of seeing the overwhelming moments of distress in his life, he is now beginning to find a reason to rejoice in the God of his salvation. When we are able to see God and the gift of salvation, as something greater than any problem that may be surrounding us for the moment, then we too can find a reason to rejoice.

The pain and heartache in our lives can feel as though it is trying to overtake any other thought within our minds but when we turn to the same great and powerful God that David turned to and begin to sing songs of praise to God, then these moments of rejoicing, can switch our thoughts, like a light switch and instead of viewing the painful moments, we can begin to reflect on the mercy and goodness of a loving God.

You may be going through overwhelming circumstances today and you may feel like David felt, when he became overwhelmed by his own moments of adversity; but instead of reflecting on the "thorn" that Satan has tried to overtake you with...begin to praise God and begin to dwell on the presence of a loving and merciful God and I'm sure you will find, that as you lift a heart of praise up to God, that you too will be taken away from your own moments of affliction.

A Sustaining God

There can be times when we become so in need of God's healing hand; that we forget that one of His ways of helping us is to sustain us. It seems as though we look for God's healing and if we don't find it to be our way, then we just allow ourselves to fall back into despair.

In Psalm 55:22, it reads..."Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Sometimes God's timing doesn't always fit into our timing. We can become easily discouraged, when we give our needs to God but yet we don't see Him at work in our lives. Could it be...because we are too busy looking for Him to do it our way, instead of His way? Sometimes His way means to sustain us and hold our hand, until the right time comes for us to walk out of the storm with Him.

Recently, God revealed His meaning of sustainment to me in a personal way. When He sustains us; it's as if God is allowing Himself to become a shield and shelter that takes the blows from Satan that we would normally receive. It's as though He is constantly shielding us from destruction; until it becomes His time for us to walk freely onto the pathway He's chosen for us to follow.

Sustainment is a word that becomes so easily forgotten. The way we see it...is that God is either going to heal us or not heal us. Part of God's process in our life, which helps us to become stronger in Him, is to experience the moments when He shields us and protects us from the evil that's trying to destroy us because during these moments of sustainment, we are also being given a chance to trust God in a greater way.

If we see God as an undefeated God, then why are we living as though He is defeated? When we give in to our trials because God hasn't worked them out our way, then we are actually sending God a message; that reveals to Him, that we view Him as a defeated God.

We all are going through one thing or another in these last days and God may not always relieve us of our trial today; but just remember that He still remains with us...to hold our hand and take the blows, that otherwise would destroy us. May you truly experience God's very best, through a loving hand of sustainment!

God is Greater than any Circumstance

Why do we relay this message from our hearts..."greater is the problem that surrounds us, then the power of the highest God?" When we become more caught up into our circumstance, then this is the message we are sending to God.

In I John 4:4, it reads..."Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Today, my mind was taken back to a song that I learned, before even facing my first knee surgery as a young girl and this is how it goes..."Satan's like a roaring lion, roaming to and fro; seeking whom he may devour, the Bible tells me so. Many souls have been its prey, to fall in some weak hour; but God has promised us today, His overcoming power. Greater is He that is in me...greater is He that is in me...greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." Have we forgotten our first love and the power that reigns within Him? We must remember that it is Satan's aim, to take complete control and pull us away from God.

Today, we may experience moments, when we will feel the strength and power, that only God can give us but what about the moments, when we feel as though we've been knocked down to the ground by an overwhelming moment of pain or heartache? When are we going to make the decision to put God back into the right place, He so rightfully deserves...where we can see Him as a more powerful God?

We experience weakness, low self-esteem and other overwhelming feelings in our lives because we somehow allow the circumstance to walk in and take over, while the power and love we first experienced, from a great and powerful God begins to fade in the background. We need to go back to where we first met Jesus, at the cross and allow that same love we first experienced, to come back and be placed on the throne of our hearts, so the enemy can no longer have control over our lives.

Destructive Feelings that can sever our

Connection with God

Fear and all the negative feelings that stem from our circumstances can become destructive, to the place where our connection with God becomes severed. We find that it is a lot tougher to rejoice through our circumstances and have the love we should be feeling for God and others because fear and all these other negative feelings are blocking the way.

In I John 4:18, it reads..."There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." In other words...fear becomes the road block in our pathway, that keeps us from experiencing the very best that God has to offer us...a love that's always been there for us since the cross. We can't love God or others, when fear and other negative feelings are controlling our hearts. First, we must allow our love for God to become stronger and greater than our fears, so fear and other negative feelings, can be crushed and destroyed by the weight of God's love.

How do we learn to have the kind of love that will keep fear away? Let's go on and read I John 4:19 and we read..."We love him, because he first loved us." So, in other words, when we truly know and feel the depth of God's love, then we find it much easier to show that same kind of love back to Him and to others. Let's look at it this way...when 2 people discover love for the first time, then that love becomes so powerful, that nothing else seems to matter around them. It's as if nothing could ever go wrong because of the depth of love that they have for each other. Well...in a similar way, we tend to experience fear and other negative feelings because our love for God may not be to the depth, that can allow us to feel as though nothing else in life matters. When our love for God isn't a love that we look forward to each day, then something has to fill that empty void, which ends up being fear or some other kind of negative feeling. We can't live with 2 different feelings at once, so we are either going to allow God's love to become our first love or we are going to be taken over by the power of fear and other feelings that stem from Satan.

We need to ask ourselves this question...do we have the same kind of love that we once experienced with God, when we first came to know Him or has our love for Him become weak, so our hearts become vulnerable to destructive feelings like fear. If we ever want to let go of the negative feelings in our lives that seem to be destructive and debilitating to our relationship with God and others, then we need to walk back to the cross and experience once more, the love that God shared with us, through a sacrificial death. Once we have discovered His great and powerful love, then we will once more be able to feel His love within our own hearts and spirits, so we can share His love with others.

A Cleansing through a Dirty Circumstance

This morning as I awoke; I noticed a very thin layer of snow in our yard...along with even more frost and snow in the foothills. As I viewed the beauty of God's handiwork; I began to think about the moments when we also experience the filth of Satan's thorn of circumstance within our lives. These become the moments that cause us to long for a layer of God's precious snow, to cleanse and renew our tired spirits.

In Psalms 71:20-21, it reads..."Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depth of the earth. (21) Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side." Just as the snow brings a fresh and cleansing feeling into the air, after a long hot summer; God can quicken us and revive us from the depths of our pain and heartache and bring comfort and gladness back into our lives once more.

Even though God allows us to experience great and sore troubles; these moments aren't being allowed into our lives, to keep us in a dirty pit of despair; instead, God allows these moments, so He can bring us out of the pit, with a renewed and regenerated spirit. God takes the filth of the circumstance and brings about a cleansing, that can remove the filthy flaws that try to overtake our lives, so once more we can feel His comforting spirit within us.

Summer brings long hot days of pain and heartache but then fall comes, while God begins to blow away the moments that tried to keep us tied down into despair; so as winter enters our hearts; God can touch us with the coolness of His Spirit, to once more renew and revive us, to the place He longs for us to be.

No matter what we may be facing today; God will never keep us in despair; otherwise He becomes a defeated God. Just as the seasons change...to bring about new growth and renewal; God also takes and allows the seasons of different things into our lives, so we not only experience the hot and scorching moments of trials; but also so we can enjoy the seasons that bring renewal and refreshment within our spirits.

The Armor that will protect us during Battle

As we begin, I would like to read Ephesians 6:10, which reads..."Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Following this verse, the chapter goes on to talk about the armor of God. If we are going to remain strong in God and allow His power to live through each circumstance we face, then we need to wear the armor of God and allow the power in each piece of the armor, to become protection to our weary and battle torn souls. When we are wearing the armor of God; we are also wearing something that represents the power of God...something to help us overcome the problems we face in life.

In Ephesians 6:11, it goes on to say..."Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." As each piece of the armor represents one more characteristic of God; we find that when we are actually wearing this armor...then we are also allowing God to be seen through each of our needs. His armor protects us against the deceitfulness, lies and the thorns that Satan attempts to throw within our spirits. When we are missing a piece of God's armor, then we are making ourselves more vulnerable to Satan's ways. We need to be completely covered with the presence of God; so that Satan's desires can't be turned into a debilitating weakness.

God's strength can become a weapon, to keep Satan weak, instead of allowing Satan to have control over our weaknesses. Let's face it...we are in a continuous battle and as long as we make God first place in our lives; that battle will continue on, until Jesus comes to take us home. Life doesn't have to be difficult, when we have already been given a protective armor that can keep us from the blunt of the battle.

No matter what you may be facing today, whether it be pain, heartache, loneliness, grief or any other need; just remember that God has already made the way and has provided us with the armor we need...to protect us from the wiles of the devil. Now it's up to us...will we accept God ways and allow them to become a protective barrier, while fighting the forces of evil?

May we continue to keep pressing on; that we may allow Satan to experience a powerful strength that lives within us; from a God that's never defeated and may you truly be blessed by the Most High God!

Who's in Charge of your Circumstance?

Who is the main source of power in our lives...our circumstances or God? If we were to make a comparison; the circumstance would be nothing; in comparison to the power that comes from a living God. Why do we make our problems more like a little god; rather than seeking freedom from our problems through a living God?

Satan can allow us to feel so overwhelmed by our problems. He can enhance them; to the place, where they become so overwhelming, that the power that comes from them can seem more powerful than the power of God. If we were to think of it this way; we contribute to our problems and allow them to become more powerful than God at times. You ask me how? Each time that we dwell on our circumstances; we allow the problem to grow in our minds and hearts. With every doubt or fear that may arise from the problem; it's as if we have placed fuel on a fire that's about to burn out. The more that Satan sees these weaknesses; he adds our weaknesses to the circumstance and before we know it; we have quite a bon fire burning. Before we know it; we begin to see our problems in a greater way than God.

How do we find our way back, so we can diminish the strength of the fire, that's keeping our circumstance alive? By placing our thoughts directly on the power of God and also by knowing that we have a powerful God that lives within our hearts...a God that knows what to do and when to do it. Instead of trying to figure out the problem and how it can get worse; we need to concentrate on how great of a God we serve. God made everything on this earth, including us, so why wouldn't He know how to fix the things that have been broken in our lives? The problem can't fix itself, so we need something greater than the problem and that is God.

We need to talk with God, instead of talking to ourselves about our problems. We need to listen for the voice of God, instead of listening to what our problem may be dictating to us. Instead of allowing fear, doubt and other negative feelings to arise; we need to meditate on God's words and long for His presence to enter us.

Days can be difficult; but we have been given a choice. Are we going to go to the left; with the problem and all it can do to bring us down into a pit of despair or will we take the pathway to the right; where God resides and where He can allow His power and peace to enter us, so we can sit with a settled feeling, instead of fear, doubt, anxiety and frustration?

When we face a circumstance; we're given a choice. How we react to our circumstances; will tell us who is in charge. Who has control of our lives today...the circumstance or a powerful God? May you truly feel the presence of God in this day!

Where is our Circumstance taking us?

Who are we submitting ourselves to? Are we submitting ourselves to the circumstances that surround us; that we find that we have more in common with our problem than God? Do we seem to understand more about the details of our circumstance; that we can't even see God as a close friend? In James 4:7-8a, it reads..."Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..."

Could it be that we don't feel the presence of a loving, powerful and peaceful God because we are submitting ourselves to the details of what's going on in our lives? These verses are telling us to submit ourselves to God and to resist the devil and even the things that pertain to him. The only way we are going to experience the presence of a loving God at work in our lives; is when we choose to submit ourselves completely to Him.

While I was walking through some very trying moments in my life these past few weeks; one thing I truly learned, was to remain committed to God. I have found that the more we feed into the problem...the more we continue to reap from the problem. The more I left the problem up to God and just rested in His loving presence...these became the moments when I experienced the true peace that comes from the presence of a loving God.

How many times do we sit and worry about this, while we wonder about that? Do these moments cause us to reap better things in our lives? I have found that worry only becomes another piece of wood; that can be used to keep the fire of circumstance burning within our hearts and spirits.

We have been given two choices from God. We can draw closer to the problems in our lives and submit ourselves to them or we can walk away from the problem and submit ourselves completely to God. The choice we make will either make life more difficult or more bearable. Maybe we need to stop and ask ourselves this question...who are we submitting our life to at this moment? Does God receive our attention or does the circumstance? If we are living in continual turmoil; then maybe we need to see if we are the one who is keeping the fire of our circumstance burning. Maybe we need to lay the wood of our worries at the feet of Jesus, instead of placing them into the fire of our circumstance. Once we can submit ourselves completely to God; then we may also find that the fire of our circumstance is beginning to burn out.

A Heavy Burden of Grief

The burdens we bare were never meant for us to carry alone. The weight is too heavy for our minds and hearts to hold onto. These past few weeks became moments, when I felt as though I had begun with an empty plate that gradually began to overflow with one thing after another. All I could visualize before me, was a plate that didn't have enough room, for all that Satan was trying to overload my mind and heart with. As I began to allow my spirit to rest in the arms of God; He began to remind me that even though I wasn't able to bare each heavy burden on my own...that He was.

In Psalm 55:22, it reads..."Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." In other words, all we need to do is give the heavy load of pain and heartache over to the most powerful God and while He is carrying the heavy load; we will find ourselves sustained and protected from the heavy weight of each affliction.

Satan may pile each of our plates with one problem after another; but while he's doing that; he tends to forget that we have a strong God that remains close to our side...a God that will share the load and take the blunt of the weight off of our shoulders.

Many may not see the grief of an animal, in the way that others do but during the loss of my dog, Staci Ann... I came to find God as a good friend that said to me..."Diane, you don't have to try and be strong on your own because I have enough strength for the both of us." God knew that this dog had been my baby for a little over 13 years. This dog had become a gift to my husband and I, when God just never had allowed children to enter our lives. As each year had passed me by; I never realized how connected I had become to "Staci Ann" but you know...God knew. He knew that the burden would be heavy; upon the passing of my friend, "Staci Ann" and He knew that the memories alone would become a heavy load upon my mind and heart. Instead of being a God that just said He understood; He became a God that walked into my moment of pain and sat down and shared the moments of sadness, as each beautiful memory entered my thoughts. Staci had become a dog that God used in my life, throughout all my disabilities and surgeries...a dog that would be that extra friend that I would need, while my husband was at work...that extra friend that truly understood each surgery and painful moment in my life. I know that some people would just say...she was just a dog; but to me, she was a dog that was always there for me, even when other people walked out of my life and couldn't take all the painful surgeries I went through.

No matter what we may be walking through today; whether it be pain, surgery, heartache or any form of grief; God is longing to walk into our hearts...pull up a chair and wait out the storm with us. He is a God that longs to stay and hold our hand and share the weight of each burden that enters our lives...but we must be willing to let Him do so.

How do we react to Despair?

As we are approaching Thanksgiving; we also begin to think more on the things we are thankful for. Why is it that we find more reasons to praise God during this time of year; in comparison to everyday living?

This afternoon as I was in the shower; I began to sing a song that I had never known of before. I found myself singing praises to God, after several weeks of trying circumstances. Instead of asking God why; I began to sing..."thank you Lord for the pain this week, for without it, I would never have known the depth of your heart in mine", then I went on to sing..."thank you Lord for the circumstances...thank you for the moments of frustration and anxiety...thank you for the heartache" because these moments I've faced in the past weeks, have taught me that the pathways of circumstance, pain, heartache, frustration, anxiety, etc...,are the pathways that have lead me closer to You. If we think on these moments as failures or weaknesses in our lives, then the pathway will only lead us further down but God showed me this past week, that adversity becomes the pathway that takes us on a journey, that eventually helps us to climb higher above our problems and closer to God and Heaven.

In Psalms 23:4, we read..."Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; they rod and they staff they comfort me." Even in this verse, we see that when we walk through the dark valleys of despair; these pathways can take us away from the fears that accompany the evil before us, so we can find the comforting arms of God instead.

As we begin a new week; we may face new and trying moments in our lives; but how we react to them, will either take us further down into more pathways of despair or our attitude and reaction to the circumstance will lift us further up into the arms of God. When we see our despair through a worldly eye, then all we are going to do is continue to travel down a pathway that only leads us to further despair; but when we begin to see our circumstances as a means of knowing Christ more, then our pathway will begin to lead us above despair, until we find ourselves closer to God and further away from the circumstance. We need to remember that it's Satan's desire to use these moments of circumstance, to weaken us and make us more vulnerable to his ways; while God's desire is for us to find new growth and a new pathway that will take us further away from the clutches of evil.

I pray that as we begin a new week; that we will also begin to look at our circumstances and trying moments, as an opportunity to travel down a new pathway, that can lead us to higher ground, where we can experience victorious moments of new growth.

Plans for Good...not for Evil

God's word says in Jeremiah 29:11-13..."For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest."

These verses best describe the way God has taken care of me, over the past few weeks. As the modem on my computer went out and as I continued to get more bad news about my legs and as my dog suddenly passed away; God began to show me something new, that I guess had never really stuck with me before. He began to remind me that I have the most powerful being living in my heart and He began to open my eyes to the thought that nothing, not even my circumstances could ever rise above such great power.

As I began to wonder what was going on in my life and why would so many things happen all at once; He spoke to my spirit, in such a loving way and said..."Diane, don't you think, that if I wanted your life to be anything different right now, that I could do that for you?" It was as if lightning had struck me. Instead of seeing overwhelming circumstances; I began to see a reason and a purpose. God was letting me know, that if He wanted my life any different at that time, that He could change everything that had gone wrong, within the blink of an eye. Instead of focusing so deeply on what was going wrong; I began to look for the reason God was allowing these moments into my life. As I focused more deeply on these thoughts; I began to see that I would have never understood His teaching to me, if I would have become more focused on the circumstances that were surrounding me at the time.

Just as these verses say...God does know the plans He has for each of us and we need to remember that His plans are never for evil...only good, so He can give us a reason to keep pressing on with a renewed hope. I came to learn, that when I prayed to God and listened for His response; He was there to give me the greatest wisdom of all. I also learned that what we may see as an overwhelming moment; is really only a circumstance that's leading us into God's true purpose for our lives.

Participating with God to Overcome

When we say that we believe and have faith in what God can do for our needs, where does it go from there? Do we just speak these words, as if everything just falls into place from where our words left off? Do we take the words, faith and belief for granted? In James 2:14, it reads..."What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?" In other words...can faith and belief be enough on their own to save us from overwhelming circumstances? We find it so easy to speak these words to another person, like..." I have faith or I believe that God will bring me through my circumstance" but are these words enough to save us from despair?

I believe that God wants us to have faith and belief, in what He can do for us; but I also believe that this is only the first of two steps, that truly allows God to see the true desires of our heart. Once we have overcome the first step and we truly have faith and belief in what God can do in our lives, then we need to let those words come to life. When we just speak them, then they aren't doing anything for us.

God is a god that can see and know all things but He doesn't want to just hear our words, He also wants to see them in action. In other words, He wants us to take the words "faith and belief" and put them into practice. I believe that when God sees the words in action, instead of remaining idle around us, then He is more than able to meet us at the point of action and crown each effort with success.

God is so powerful, that He can do anything...right? But I also have come to realize, that He wants us to learn something from the circumstance and in order to do that, we must participate. If we are just speaking the words of faith and belief, while God does all the work, then what will we learn and grow from? We need to show God our faith and belief, by how we live. Once our words come to life, then God will come down and meet us there and complete what we have begun to live.

God's Revitalizing Strength

We may have to go to work or we may be going to a doctor appointment or facing other things today. No matter what it may be; we need to remember that we can't carry the load alone. God has allowed us to live a life that only goes from one day into the next...a day, where we live by seconds and minutes, instead of weeks or months at a time.

In Matthew 11:28-30, it reads..."Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Why do we feel that we must carry a load that we aren't able to bear alone? We become so determined to continue on alone and make it, when we have a God that longs to make life easier for us; in fact, He already has, through His death on the cross. He's the One who carried our load; the load that He knew would weigh us down and allow us to become unproductive in life.

Jesus never said that life would be easy but through these verses, He is giving us a piece of renewed hope, so that we may be able to experience more of His peace and presence, so He can turn a meaningless and wearisome life, into a life that's filled with new meaning and a purpose.

When we fight His loving ways, then we become weakened, to the place where we are more vulnerable to Satan's attacks. We need to fall into the loving arms of One so true and allow Him to revitalize us and give us a new strength to stand on...a strength that will allow us to continue on the pathway, that He has set before us.

As we begin another new week; may we take each day...one minute and one second at a time; that we may be able to keep up with God's leading, as He walks side by side with us each day and may you truly experience the best that God has to offer you throughout this week!

God...Quietly at work for our Good

Afflictions can come into our lives for different reasons. Only God knows the particular reason, for allowing pain and heartache to enter our lives. No one should ever judge another person because of their suffering. Only God knows the reasons and since we are not equal to God, then we need to leave the reasons up to Him.

In John 9:1-3, it reads..."And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. (2) And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? (3) Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." In this reading, the disciples were confused, as to why this man would be born blind. The disciples asked Jesus...is it because this man or his parents had sin in their lives? Jesus replied...no. He told His disciples that this blindness was brought into this man's life, so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

No matter what reason God has for allowing affliction into our lives, we need to understand that God only uses these moments of affliction to bring us closer to Him and to allow Himself to be seen to others in need. This isn't a matter about who did wrong or whether this person had enough faith; instead, it's about seeing the need of a person, instead of the fault.

We don't always understand the reasons for our suffering; whether it is physical or emotional. Only God knows the answers to our questions. I remember growing up with 2 brothers and a sister. Out of the four of us, I dealt with all the health problems and out of the four of us, I had a more difficult time obtaining good school grades. Many times, I felt as though I was sitting on the sidelines, in my own world of disability. After many years of surgeries, pain and heartache, I continually found myself trying to figure out why they were healthy and smart, while I struggled with everything in my life. Later, as I became an adult, God began to open up His plan for my life. Over time, I realized that He was taking me through a special school...a school that would train my heart, to be exactly what He had in mind, so I could serve Him one day. I never realized it, but through every surgery and every moment of heartache; God was taking my desires and replacing them with His. We may not always go through the same type of suffering; but throughout my life, I have come to see that God was using my weaknesses, so I could be strengthened and used for Him...just as God used this man who was born with blindness.

How is Christ Seen through our Circumstance?

What can help us to discover God's very best, while going through difficult moments in our lives? Prayer can be one of the best remedies but what about our relationship with God? Could we find more of God's best, through obedience to Him, along with a close relationship? In Psalms 1:1-3, it reads..."Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." What kind of a life are we living; while waiting for God's answers to our needs? Are we praying one moment, while we turn back another moment, to the old ways of the world?

If we expect God to do His best for us; shouldn't we strive to do our best for Him? Are we making God our daily delight or are we only using God, when we are in need? When we are truly connected to God, then we won't just come to Him, during the moments of pain and affliction. Our love for Him should grow daily and we shouldn't just turn to Him as a means of convenience.

Many times, Keith and I use to go down to the Spokane River. When we first came out here to Spokane; we would go down by the river, to collect pine cones for the wreaths I use to make. Many a time, I use to look at the trees that were closer to the water. They always seemed to catch my attention because they were more vibrant and alive; as though they had been drinking freely from the river. In a similar way; do our lives portray that before God? Are we so connected to God that we bear fruit for Him, even while facing times of adversity? Do we show Jesus to others, even while we go through the difficult moments of affliction or are we withered and lifeless?

No matter what we are facing; our circumstances are meant for a reason and that reason is so Jesus can be seen. What happens when we portray our lives as something that is withering away? How can Jesus be seen through that kind of living? Our circumstances may not always make it easy to portray Christ to others but sometimes a simple smile or a prayerful heart can make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others. How are we going to discover God's very best, if we are giving in to our circumstances? If we want to discover God's very best for our lives, then we need to not only reach out to God through prayer but we also need to keep the relationship going, even though it's difficult at times. When we can live our best for Christ, then we are not only going to show Jesus to others; but we are also going to find His very best, for our own lives too.

Arms of Love that will carry us through Despair

Many of you, who have followed my ministry and books, know that I have been through a lifetime of pain and surgeries, due to a congenital problem in both of my knees. Yesterday, I had to have a bone scan because the doctor wants to make sure that I don't have an infection in the bone or cancer.

Today, as I have been waiting for them to process the results of the tests; I decided to find a verse or two, that would show praise to a mighty God, even while facing this difficult moment. As I was thumbing through the Psalms; I found 2 beautiful and moving verses in Psalm 16:7-8, which reads..."I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. (8) I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." What words of peace and comfort! These verses are saying that we can find a way to bless God and praise His name, even through adversity because He is the One who fills our thoughts with His words of counsel, comfort and strength, so we can keep pressing on. Even in the night, when we can't sleep and our thoughts are going in circles or we may be in pain; God is awake and ready to listen to the cries of our hearts. When we keep God before us, instead of the circumstance, then we don't have to fear anything or allow anything negative to take us away from the presence of God.

You may be going through a moment of despair today and all that seems to flood your mind are the thoughts of your circumstance. Join me tonight, in praising a powerful God...a God that is there for us, whether it is during the daytime or night. A God that never will walk away and grow tired of us; but instead, a God that will give us the counsel we need, so we can keep moving forward with Him.

When we keep the Lord our God, always before us, then no matter what we may be facing...it will not move us or detour us from the desires that God has for our lives. God made us and knows the complete make up of our being and no matter what we may be facing; His heart is filled with wisdom and strength...wisdom and strength that will become arms of love, to carry us through our moment of despair, until He carries us safely out of our circumstance.

God...a Mighty Shield of Defense

Lonely moments of pain and heartache can allow us to feel as though we are standing in an open field, while being completely surrounded by the enemy. The circumstance can cause us to feel as though we are fighting against a giant. Instead of standing alone; we need a mighty warrior to stand in our place, so that the circumstance can become powerless. In Proverbs 30:5, it reads..."Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

Many times, I have pictured Jesus to be the mighty warrior that stands before me, while facing difficult moments in my life. When I see Him as something stronger than the enemy or circumstance, then I know the battle is already won.

In order that we may have God as a mighty shield...to protect us from the circumstance, we need to have "trust" as the main ingredient to our lives; so I decided to look up the definition of the word "trust", and this is what I found..."reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing;" so when we rely on the strength, ability and power of a great God, then He will become a mighty shield, that will defend us against the enemy and the circumstances that stem from the enemy. Many times, we are so busy, trying to figure out our own battle plan, that we don't even realize how simple God has made it for us. All we need to do is trust God and then He will do His very best for us, by becoming a shield, to defend us from the enemy.

The circumstance only continues to gain strength; when we succumb to the problem. When we do this; it's as if we are adding fuel, to a fire that is already burning. We don't want the fire to gain strength; otherwise we become weakened and drained from the battle that stands before us. Instead, we need to use the purity of God's word, to become footsteps to follow, so we can always know the way of our God. Next we need to allow God to become strengthened, through the faith and trust we have in Him, so He will always be there to fight our battles for us.

It doesn't matter if you are going through chronic pain, loss of a job or grief and heartache; when we place our trust in God, then He instantly becomes a mighty shield of strength and power, that can conquer any circumstance...thrown our way by the evil one.. May we always seek God's very best, that we may find Him to be our mighty warrior, while facing the raging battles of life!

We Lose Something to Find Everything

When do we truly find the life that God has for us? Do we find God's ways when we are searching or how does God fulfill His will within us? Tonight I would like to share Matthew 10:39 with you; which reads..."He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

Our thoughts become completely detached from God's will; when we are too busy looking at our circumstance and our life through a worldly eye. Let's take this verse as an example. If we were to read this verse through a worldly eye; we would probably find this verse frustrating. In fact, I think we would scratch our head and wonder why we would have to find our life; just so we could lose it. Now on the other hand; when we can read this verse and visualize it through God's eyes, then we would find that we need to give up our own thoughts and desires, so we can find His will for our lives.

What God longs for us to know from this verse are two things. First...those who find their own life...the way they desire for it to be, will end up losing it in the end but those who are willing to lay down their own thoughts, desires and ways, so God's will can be put in its place; this is the one who will continue to find the life that God has for them on this earth and in the life to come, which would be in Heaven.

The life we live here on earth isn't supposed to be about us. We can enjoy life and each other; but our main goal is to live out the life that God has desired for us, since the day we were born. When we walk in accordance with God here on earth, then we will always be walking in the right footprints that will eventually lead us from this life into Heaven.

Jesus gave His all for us at the cross. This was not only a way to find salvation; but this was also a way to experience the depth of His love. He laid aside every desire and thought; just so He could show us a sacrificial love. Are our lives revealing that same kind of love to Him? Are we willing to lay every wish, thought and desire to the side, so His purpose can be made complete through us? This is not only a way of obeying God; but also a way of giving Him a sacrificial love in return.

Our lives may not portray the life we always dreamed of. When we think about all we are going through; I'm sure that we would rather be experiencing a better life right now but will that kind of life connect us to the most powerful being? Will that kind of life reveal the footprints that will eventually take us to Heaven?

Is your Circumstance Predicting Defeat?

How many times are we so fixed on our circumstances that we begin to fear the destruction that can come from the problem? Today as I was looking through the Psalms, I found 2 interesting verses that I would like to share with you. These verses are found in Psalm 119:92-93, which reads..."Unless the law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction. (93) I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me."

Do we ever wonder what life would be like, if we were to go through an affliction without God? Maybe we need to truly understand, how difficult our circumstances would be, if we never had God on our side, during our circumstance, rather than just dwelling on the failure that can come about from our affliction. I believe that when we view our circumstances in this way, then our eyes are opened to renewed hope, rather than defeat. Many times, I stop and think...yes, this pain isn't any fun to go through but then I think...what would this pain be like if I didn't have God in my life?

A person who lives without God, while going through difficult circumstances, will find it even more difficult to get through these moments because they don't have God's word to help them through and most of all...they don't have God. When we look at God's word, as a means of helping us through our circumstances, we begin to see the words and verses, as stepping stones that can take us further away from the problem, while being drawn even closer to God. If we don't have God's precepts or words of encouragement, then we find ourselves lost, while we aimlessly walk in circles.

Our circumstances can try to talk to us and predict an outcome that isn't even in accordance to God's plan, so that's why we need to dwell on the words that bring a good report into our thoughts. We need to quit dwelling on the problem itself and take the tools that God has given to us through His word, so we can continue to press on and eventually walk out of despair. We may not enjoy these difficult moments of pain and heartache and there may be times when the circumstance takes us to a place, where we feel as though we are taking a plunge downward but if we can remember that we have God's words and most of all, His presence with us; then we will make it through.

We all are going through one thing or another these days but we don't have to allow the circumstance to predict defeat and despair, when we have God's words of hope, to fill our thoughts with messages of good report.

A Humble Moment of Affliction

Lately, we've been learning that when we look through the world's eye, while facing a problem; we only see despair and defeat; but when we look through the eyes of God, we see our problems, as a reason for new growth. I would like to share a Bible verse with you, in Ecclesiastes 7:3 and we read..."Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart." The first part of this verse is saying that sorrow is better than laughter. If we were to view this verse through a worldly eye; we would probably find ourselves scratching our heads and saying that this makes no sense. See how important it is to look at our circumstances through God's eye? The word "sorrow" would normally tell us that something isn't going well in our lives. Maybe the word "sorrow" would represent the loss of someone or sadness, due to pain and heartache. How can sorrow make the heart better? Two things could be happening in this verse. The word "sorrow" could be representing a cleansing of the heart or it could be representing a place of humbleness before God that takes us to a place of new growth. The Bible can become words that make no sense or the Bible can become a book of hidden treasures that help us to grow in our lives. It's up to how we view God's word.

No matter what we may be facing; whether it be grief, an illness or heartache from a circumstance that has entered our lives; we can either allow these moments of heartache and pain to take us further down, by the way we perceive our problem or we can allow the "sorrow" in our lives to take us to a place of humbleness before God; where we can allow the heart to be made better through our moments of sorrow, pain and heartache.

Arms of Love that Can Lift Us from Despair

When we grow discouraged; maybe we need to take a trip back to Mount Calvary? Have we forgotten the power that was demonstrated to us, when Jesus died on the cross? Have we forgotten a Christ that first knew the meaning of suffering; before we were even born to experience pain and heartache?

In Revelation 1:18, it reads..."I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death." Sometimes I think we all need to walk back in time; to a place where a man died an innocent death; just so He could become the complete sacrifice for our sins. He not only died on a cross; but He also experienced each need we would go through; while His body laid in a tomb for 3 days. We have a Savior that knows and understands each thing we experience here on earth; but yet we turn to ourselves for the answers?

Even through our darkest hour, we can depend on Jesus because He walked the pathways we walk today. He not only became triumphant over His death on the cross; but He also became triumphant over all things; as He took the keys of hell and death from Satan. He not only holds the answers to our needs; but He also has the keys that can unlock us from the darkest moments of despair.

I remember a time, when I wrote a piece to do with this same subject. As I was writing; God gave me a vision and this is what I experienced. As God unfolded this thought within my heart; I saw myself as a person that was in the deepest and darkest pit of despair. Many times, I tried to climb out of the pit; but because there was no way to climb out; I just kept falling back in the pit. Then I saw myself crying out to God...saying, "Please God, help me!" Out of nowhere I saw a man approach the top of my pit. He told me that He could help me, if I was willing to let Him do the work...so I agreed. As His arm reached down into my pit of despair; I noticed these scars on His hands. As I began to ask Him about His hands and who He was; He told me that His name was Jesus. From there He mentioned that He had heard my cry, while on the cross and that He longed so much to come and save me. As He lifted me out of my pit of despair; He held me in such arms of love...a love that I had never experienced before.

No matter what you may be experiencing in your life today; my Savior loves you the same. He longs to walk over to your pit of despair and rescue you. The only thing you need to do; is be willing to let Him help you out. I pray that in our hour of need; that we will remember the God, who holds the keys of hell and death within His hands and may you truly feel the depth of God's love in your hearts each day!

Experiencing God's Presence through Weakness

Our weaknesses can cause us to feel defeated; but it's only through the world's eye that we see this. God's eye tells us a completely different story. In II Corinthians 12:9-10, it reads..."And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong."

How do we view our weaknesses? Do we truly see them as moments of despair or defeat? If so, then we need to take a second look because God's view tells a different story. Tonight as I was getting around to write this blog; God was showing me that we must first be out of His way; before He can begin a new work within us. We need to view our weaknesses, as moments of humbleness, instead of moments of defeat.

The weaknesses that God allows within our lives should take us to a place, where we are brought down before a powerful God, so His strength can rise up in place of our weakness. If we aren't willing to allow God to work through the weakness in our lives, then we will just suffer needlessly.

When God allows a weakness into our lives; it's only so He can create new growth and allow Himself to be seen through His work. God isn't viewed in a human form, so He chooses other ways to display Himself and one of those ways is through our weaknesses. Near the end of verse 9, it reads..."Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." When we can glory in our infirmities, instead of feeling despair and defeat in our lives, then we begin to send God a signal, that we are ready for Him to begin a new work within our lives...a work that will not only cause new growth to spring up within us but a work that will allow Him to be seen to the world.

May we continue to glory in our infirmities; that we may feel the wonderful and most powerful God at work in our lives and may we truly experience God's very best in our lives each day!

Connected to God through our Thoughts

What if we were able to find something to praise God for each day? How would it affect our lives? I would like to share a Bible verse with you tonight and it's found in Psalm 61:8 and we read..."Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day." In this reading; David was vowing before God; that he would praise God each day; whether it was a good day or a bad day. What if we were to do the same? What if we were to replace one bad thought, with a thought of praise to God? I believe that after time...we would find ourselves looking for the better things in life, while leaving the circumstance with God.

In Philippians 4:8, it reads...Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...if anything is excellent or praiseworthy...think about such things." So this reading is teaching us to get our minds shifted to the things that will become praiseworthy. How can we praise God each day, with a worried thought at the same time?

I truly believe that our thoughts will either keep us connected to God or to evil. If we are praising God at one moment, then we will find ourselves completely connected or plugged into His presence; but if we turn around and go back to our cares and concerns, then those thoughts have pulled out the plug, that once connected us to God. It's so easy to think that we are connected to God, even when we are concerned or worried about our needs. We need to become alert to the fact, that we cannot find God's help, if we are unplugged from His presence. It's amazing how our words and thoughts can keep us close or distant from God.

We all are facing difficult moments, especially as we draw closer to the return of Jesus Christ. No matter if we are facing one circumstance or an overwhelming amount of circumstances in our lives; we need to take the time and give our needs to God but then we must leave them with Him and praise Him, while we wait for His response. When we can do this, then we are also giving Him room to work in our lives and we are also sending a message to Him, that because of our praise; we truly believe in all He can do for us. We need to not only be positive in our thoughts and words; but we need to follow them through with a word of praise.

Shaking Away the Dust of Circumstance

Today, as I was preparing to write, I began to think of the ones who are truly going through very difficult times right now. It doesn't matter what we are facing; when it's an ongoing problem, we feel as though we may never find the light at the end of the tunnel. The circumstance becomes so overwhelming, that after a while we feel as though the problem is dictating our lives.

As I was looking into God's word today, I found a few passages that I would like to share with you. They are found in Psalm 42:9-11, which reads..."I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (10) As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, while they say daily unto me, where is thy God? (11) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

When I read these verses, they began to tell a familiar story to me. In these verses, the psalmist begins, by crying out to God. He acknowledges God as His rock but at the same time, he's crying out in a desperate way, when he says..."Why hast thou forgotten me?" He goes on to say..."Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" It's as though he is saying...you are my rock God...a solid foundation, so why am I suffering in this way...have you forgotten me?

As we enter the next verse, the psalmist is going more into detail of his suffering, as though he feels the suffering, to be a sword in his bones. He feels even more forsaken by God, when his circumstance begins to speak within his spirit, as though to say..."Where is your God?" After crying out to God and laying everything before Him, it's as if the psalmist begins to see his circumstance in a different light, as he speaks..."Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God..." After laying everything before God, it's as if he has found a way through God to regroup and begin anew. He begins by asking himself, why am I cast down or why am I allowing this circumstance to annoy me and then he tells himself to get back up and begin again, by placing his hope back in God. From there, he begins to see a reason to praise God again and continue to place his trust in God.

How many of us feel as though we were once hanging onto a piece of rope that now has turned into a string. We feel as though we are dangling from it...as though it's about to break. We see no hope and we see where the circumstance is now trying to take control of our thoughts and hearts. We need to do like the psalmist...we need to regroup and get our eyes back on God and continue to praise Him and know that we live for a God that cannot be defeated. Instead of allowing the circumstance to talk to us, we need to turn the tables and talk back to our circumstance and say...I have a God that is greater than you and my God will not let me down.

We may have felt a sudden blow from our circumstance, during a weak moment in our lives; but it's time to stand up...shake the dust from our feet and begin again by saying..."Why art thou cast down, Oh my soul...come on...let's hope once more in a triumphant God!"

God...the Only Way

Why do we look into the face of our problems and feel defeat? Because we are so busy taking each fiber of the problem apart, that all we can see is the problem before our eyes. If a person was to walk down a rugged pathway and they were curious; to find out where the pathway ends, then do you think that their concentration would be on all the rough and rugged parts of the pathway? No, because all that would matter to them; would be to find where the pathway leads them. They would become so focused on the prize, at the end of their journey, that they would find no time for the obstacles or problems.

In Philippians 3:13-14, it reads..."Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do; forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." I guess we need to have an attitude that will help us to keep moving down the pathway, instead of sitting in one spot, while dwelling on our problems. When we find ourselves sitting and wallowing in our problems; we also find that we are being beaten up by evil. When we look behind us or deep into the problem, that we may be facing for this moment in time, and then we lose sight of the prize and find ourselves sinking in the quick sand of despair.

Life, with all its problems can seem so overwhelming at times. We can be facing chronic pain, loss of income and heartache all at once. We can begin to wonder where God is, while facing enormous battles. We can feel the loneliness that enters our spirits from one day into the next; but we must remember to keep moving on. We need to keep looking for the footprints, that God lays out for us each day and keep following Him. When we are walking with Him, then He can become the shield that defends us from the enemy...He can become a crutch to lean on, when we are tired and worn out from the battle and most of all; He knows the way because He is the way.

No matter what may be bringing us down today and no matter how difficult the storm; God becomes a great strength, that will lift us up and above the stormy sea. He will hold us within His loving arms and walk us through the battles we face. He can become everything we need for this journey, until He walks us into the gates of Heaven. May we continually press on towards the prize, that we may continue to journey with God into eternity! May you truly feel God's very best!

Committed to God through Adversity

Moments of affliction can cause us to wonder why these things have come upon us. We can question this and question that, until we find our thoughts walking in circles. Are we doing everything that brings honor to Christ, even during the darkest moments of affliction? In Deuteronomy 4:30-31, it reads..."When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (31) (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."

Many times we suffer through affliction, so we can grow and become stronger in God; but what we need to ask ourselves is this...are we obedient to God, through every aspect of our life and are we running to Him, instead of the problem? These two things can make a difference in our lives; because if we aren't running to God, then we aren't connected to Him; for the help and guidance we need, so we can get through these trying moments in our lives. The next thing we need to look at is this...are we completely committed to God or are we only committed to Him, when we panic and are in need of His help? If we are plugging ourselves into God at one moment, and then plugging ourselves into the world, then how do we expect God to help us? Also, if we aren't living a life that reflects the image of God, then how do we expect Him to meet the needs of our hearts? We can find this difficult to deal with at times; but we must be completely committed to God, if we desire His help; otherwise, we may find it harder to get over the obstacle that we are facing.

We will never live perfect lives here on earth because we live in an imperfect world; but God is looking to see if we are striving for His desires to be fulfilled in our lives. Sometimes our afflictions can become a test; where God is looking to see who we turn to and how we cope with the problem. He's longing for us to share in a relationship with Him, instead of it always being a one sided relationship.

No matter what you may be facing today; just remember the verses we read...if we will turn to God and be obedient unto His voice, then He will never forsake us. I pray that we will run into the arms of a loving God and live for Him; that we may find His very best in the end!

Are We Suffering Needlessly?

In our own eyes, all we see is the pain and heartache, as we go through trying moments in our lives; but God sees a way to help us increase in knowledge and wisdom. In Ecclesiastes 1:18, it reads..."For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow."

As God begins to mold our hearts; He sometimes has to use heartache and grief; like a blacksmith uses fire and special tools, to shape the horse shoes for a horse. For each moment of pain and heartache; God takes the flame of our circumstance and begins to mold our hearts to His desire. As the heart begins to take shape; knowledge and wisdom is increased, so our hearts can come to the place where He is. As more knowledge and wisdom is added to the heart; we begin to think and understand God's ways even more; than before the circumstance first began.

One problem we may face though; we may try to get in the way of God's work, by trying to mold our own heart; thinking we know what God desires. When we do this; we not only get in God's way but we find that we are not open to God's knowledge and wisdom, which only makes our vessel weaker.

No matter what we may be facing, as we begin a new week; God longs to fill us even more, with His knowledge and wisdom. Just as a poet can't find a heart to write, without the knowledge and wisdom that comes from a wounded heart; how are we supposed to know God's ways and allow Him to use us according to His desires, if we first aren't molded into the design, that will not only make us stronger vessels but also better servants for Him.

We can either allow our circumstances to bring on more needless suffering or we can seek out the knowledge and wisdom that God desires to use, to make us stronger people for Him. Pain and heartache can get old and tiresome but when we see our suffering through God's eyes, then we will see hope, through the knowledge, wisdom and new growth He is offering us. God longs for us to grow stronger in Him and sometimes we learn, as we walk through the fire with Him. When we begin to look at our afflictions God's way, then we will see strength instead of weakness.

Are we fighting a Battle Alone?

Tonight, we are going to begin with another Bible reference in the book of Revelation. As we are beginning to live the end times more and more; the battles seem to be getting a lot more fierce and the wounds and attacks seem to be weighing heavier on our hearts and spirits, so let's begin tonight by reading Revelation 3:20, which says..."Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

What does it really mean, when we hear the words..."Behold, I stand at the door and knock?" We can find it so easy to speak these words but what are they really saying to us? When Jesus is standing at the door; this is related to our hearts door and when He begins to knock, this is the feeling we experience, when we know He is trying to speak to our spirits about something...so, in other words, He is trying to get our attention. Why is it that we don't hear Him knocking on our hearts door? Could it be that we are more preoccupied with the battle that we're facing at the moment?

Ok...let's go on. The next part of the verse says..."if any man hears my voice and opens the door"...ok, let's stop here for a minute. So, if we will listen for His voice, and open our hearts up to Him; in other words...if we will take to heart, the words we hear from Him, then He says..."I will come to him (or us), and will sup with him, and he with me." In other words...if we open ourselves up to what He is longing to tell our spirits; then He will come unto us and continue to share a relationship with us.

God longs to share in our lives but are we giving Him a chance? Are we so busy trying to figure out a battle plan; that we don't even notice the moments, when He's trying to get our attention? We need to realize, that we don't have to face these battles alone. He is longing so much to come and share with us and help us through these very trying moments; but we must be "on the alert", in order to hear His voice. We need to be prepared for the battle; but we also need God's instructions throughout the battle. If we are so busy, trying to figure out everything on our own, then we will only find ourselves falling prey to the enemy. We need to slow down and talk more directly with God, so that we will know and understand His desires and plans; so we can come through the battles that are raging around us.

An Anchor of Hope

How could we make it through our day to day pain, if we didn't have a piece of hope to hold onto? How could we get through grief or any other kind of heartache, if we didn't have something awaiting us at the end of our pathway? Hope is a word that can be easily forgotten, especially during difficult moments of adversity.

Today, as I looked up the meaning, of the word hope, this is what I found..."to cherish a desire of good or of something welcome, with expectation of obtaining it or belief that it is obtainable." When we know that we have something to reach for or to obtain, while going through moments of trial, then we have found a piece of hope. The piece of hope we have as Christians, is that our moments of pain and heartache won't last forever because at the end of each pathway, we know that we will find God and Heaven. Without knowing this, it would be a lot more difficult to press on, especially during very difficult times in our lives.

In Revelation 21:4, it reads..."And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." As we are entering the end times, we may find it more difficult to keep our eyes focused on God and the hope we need for our journey but when we know that there is a piece of hope to hold tightly too, then we can press on. For those of us who suffer with chronic pain or heartache or just a bad day, it's not always easy to remember the promises that God has laid out before us in this verse but a day will come when God will wipe the tears from our eyes for the very last time. We will enter a place, where there won't be any more death, sorrow, crying or pain. Everything we have experienced here on earth will no longer be...for it will have passed away forever.

Our circumstances can become so overwhelming at times, that we can't always find the hope we once had but when we can visualize ourselves on a pathway with God, then we will also be able to see Heaven in clear view; no matter what obstacles lie before us. When we can hold a piece of Heaven within our hearts, even during a difficult day, then we will always be connected to hope.

When the darkness of our circumstance is leading us to a place of hopelessness, I pray that God will once more remind us of His promise...the promise that this too shall pass.

Words that Work for our Good

More and more, as we enter the end times, our circumstances may try to give us a wrong message. They can tell us that we must be doing something wrong in life; otherwise, why are we going through so much? What we must remember is this...if the struggles are getting more difficult; while trying to remain close to God, then this isn't a sign that a person is doing something wrong; actually it means that Satan is making life more difficult...to keep us away from God.

Satan already knows the people that are his, so rather than work on what he already has; he's working overtime on those that are devoted to Christ. In Revelation 12:12, it reads...Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!" We need to realize, that even though Satan has control; God is always in the background...watching over His own. The reason God allows Satan to work in this way, is so God can truly see the ones who are completely devoted to Him. Words are easily spoken but when it comes to an overwhelming circumstance, who are we connected to? Do we just speak words of love or are they words that work for us, when we are facing difficult times. No matter how many times Satan comes at us; we need to remember that his power can never rise above the power of Almighty God because Jesus becomes the One who controls Satan and his every move.

Satan may not only throw a weapon of pain and heartache our direction; but he also works at deceiving us, so he can attempt to tell us that God no longer cares for us. His goal is to cause us to fall, so he can control our weaknesses. We must remember though, that the greatest weapon formed against Satan, is to allow God to keep us strong, while going these circumstances because Satan is only able to work on our weak points. When we are strengthened through our trials, then we will be away from the horrible clutches of evil.

No matter what you may be facing today; just know that God is always looking beyond the mistakes and circumstances in our lives; to find the need of our heart. May we continue to make God a strong weapon in our lives, that we may continue to rise above the clutches of evil and may God always give you His best!

A Loving Friend

As a young child, I use to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Sunday school. Little did I know that this song would have a special place in my heart as an adult? Today, as I was getting around for the evening, I was trying to relax, after a day of pain; when all of a sudden, I began to sing..."Yes, Jesus loves me...Yes, Jesus loves me...Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so." After many times of singing this song; I began to experience something new.

We can be living with day to day pain or heartache and no matter who is with us at the time; the pain and heartache can allow us to feel as though we are alone and tossed to the side. Sometimes we need a reminder of God's love and that's what this song did for me tonight. As I was singing..."Yes, Jesus loves me;" I felt as though God was continually reminding me, that I wasn't alone and as each word entered my heart; I could feel the love of Jesus entering each place within my heart; where the pain had drained me throughout the day. It was as if He was telling me..."Yes, Diane, I do love you." As I finished the song; tears began to fill my eyes, as His presence entered me once more.

Whenever we need a reminder of God's love; all we have to do, is say..."Yes, Jesus loves me because the Bible tells me so." In John 3:16, it reads..."For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life." Our circumstances can seem to remind us of the weakness we experience; whether it be physical or emotional; but when we think back to the cross; we begin to see the greatest love of all...the love of a God, that cared so much for us, that He allowed His only Son, to become the sacrificial gift for us all.

Today, you may be going through constant pain or you may be going through depression or grief or just a bad day. No matter what it is; just keep reminding yourself, that Jesus loves you. It doesn't matter what others think or how they respond, as long as we know that God's love is within our hearts and when we can remind ourselves of such a great love as this, then the loneliness and empty voids seem to be filled up and overflowing, with the love of a great Father, Lord and Savior. We may be here to enjoy our lives and the lives of those we care for; but when we stand before God one day; what's really going to count, is the love we shared with Him on earth. We may live in a lonely world, when it comes to pain and heartache; but we are really never alone because "yes, Jesus loves me and the reason we know, is because the Bible tells us so."

A Persistent Faith

Our circumstances have a way of convincing us that we will never make it through the trying moments. It's Satan's plan to use weakness to keep us down, where we only hear the words of defeat, instead of the voice of victory.

In Revelation 4:21, it reads..."To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Jesus became the first example of affliction, as He was beaten, spit upon and hung on a rugged cross to die. Even through the overwhelming moments of temptation, in the Garden of Gethsemane; Jesus remained faithful to His Father in Heaven and through His death, He became victorious, over death and hell. He has become the example for us to follow, so we can live by His example and become overcomers of our own circumstances. Jesus never said it would be easy for us but He did promise that His Spirit would become a means of comforting us or sustaining us, during the difficult moments we face.

As we travel down a road of pain and heartache; are we allowing the circumstance to control us or are we following the example of Christ, with a persistent faith, that will eventually lead us to a place, where we can become overcomers through Christ? The difficult moments we face on earth are to test us; to see how devoted we are to Jesus. Can we still have a loving heart towards Jesus, while facing insurmountable suffering? No matter how many circumstances lie within our pathway; do we have the kind of faith we need, to keep pressing on?

Our moments of pain and heartache may seem never ending and the symptoms that come from our circumstances can be telling us that we will never make it; but just remember one thing..."Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. Even though Jesus had to die a horrible death; His Father remained with Him to the end; so even though we may have to face very difficult moments in our lives; Jesus will be there, just as His Father was there for Him.

Instead of looking into the depth of our circumstances, maybe we should concentrate on a persistent faith...a faith that will cause us to become overcomers through Christ. I pray that we will follow the example of Christ and continue to pursue the life that He has called us to live.

Author Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Diane's Bio

I was raised in a small town in Michigan and was born with a congenital problem in both knees. I went through many surgeries, trying to correct the problem but there was never really a cure. Little did I know; that God had "branded" me at birth, for such a moment as this. Many in this world grow up and go to school or college, to get their education but that's not what God had in store for me. My education for writing came from twenty-one painful knee surgeries, heartache from sexual abuse as a child, and the loss of many things in my life, including the loss of children. As each painful moment came and as each loving desire left, God was taking all the brokenness in my life, and He was piecing it together, so I could have the heart He desired...a heart that could understand and care, for others, who live in despair.

As of this year, I have ministered to many in need, for over 12 years and God continues to open new doors for me to walk through. Now, I am serving God full-time, as I continue to reach out to others in need, through my writings and the Diane K Chamberlain Ministry. One thing that God has taught me over the years; is that no matter what we lose out on or experience in life; He will always be there to pick up the broken pieces and fill the empty voids in our lives. At the most difficult and heartbreaking moments of my life, I have come to see; that God never abandons His own but rather, He exchanges the painful moments, for the true plan He has, for each of our lives.

Look for Diane at Risen Hope Ministries

http://www.risenhopeministries.com

