 
Devotions to Strengthen the Hurting Soul

Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Copyright by Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Smashwords Edition

Acknowledgements

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 devotional e-book..."Devotions to Strengthen the Hurting Soul." The devotional writings within this book were first given to the author, as she faced, her own personal moments of pain and heartache and became the tools that would cultivate her heart and produce new and lasting growth.

"Devotions to Strengthen the Hurting Soul" is filled with 99 inspirational devotions that will shed light, on the darkest moment of despair; while replacing weakness, with a greater strength that will help a hurting soul. 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 escape, 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

Peace...a Refuge of Sustainment, Until the Storm Passes By

How Can We Add Praise to Our Prayers?

What Source of Power Are We Using During Difficult Times of Battle?

Why Do We Choose Bondage Over the Cross?

A Father...A Friend and a God of Mercy

Grace That Can Produce New Growth and a Greater Strength

A Comforter of Love and Grace

Why Would God Create Something He Couldn't Love?

Tears...a Cleansing for the Heart

Walking Away from Adversity to Discover God

I Lost It All to Find Christ

A Reason to Rejoice

Crucified with Christ

A Perfect Friend

All Things Are Made Beautiful in Time

Making a Wise Decision during a Difficult Circumstance

What's the Right Decision?

A Simpler Life + A Humble Life = Contentment

Is Our Relationship With God Easy or Complicated?

Soon we'll know the Reasons Why

God's Presence Separates Us from Evil

Prayer...a Remedy for Stress

Shining Brightly...a Glimpse of Hope from the Cross

Experiencing a Powerful Presence through Weakness

The Presence of God...Always Close and Ever Near

A Limitless Love That Grows With Time

A Solid Foundation of Faith

Completely Committed Through Adversity

In His Time

Experiencing Anything... Through a God Who Can Do Everything

A Refuge...a Place to Commune with God

What Words Are Being Formed Through Our Hearts?

Walking Away from a Weak Circumstance, To Focus on a Strong God

Leaving Stress Behind...To Trust God

Nothing Can Be Hopeless When the Master Holds the Keys

A Perfect Peace That Can Calm the Roughest Storm

Watching God at Work with an Amazing Eye

Turning our Losses into Gain

There is a Place to Begin Again

A Mighty Anchor

A Race of Endurance

God Understands

Steps That Walk Us Away From Needless Suffering

Joy in the Morning

Viewing Rejection through Christ's Eye

My Redeemer Lives

Putting Despair in its Place

Faith and Obedience...Cures for a Wounded Spirit

A Power that Remains Greater than Evil

Triumphant Over Evil

A Satisfying Savior

Jesus our Everything

Jesus...the Bright and Morning Star

Jesus...the Chief Cornerstone

Jesus...a Man Who Understands Sorrow

Jesus...a Wonderful Counselor

Jesus...the Bread of Life

Jesus...the Author and Perfecter of Faith

A Sealed Heart Keeps Evil Out

Chosen by God

Paying God a Visit

God Is Equipped to Handle Our Lives

Exchanging Compliant for a Heart of Praise

Exchanging a Heavy Burden for a Light Yoke

One Day at a Time

Walking Hand in Hand and Side by Side with God

Losing to Win

Forgiveness...a Place to Begin Again

Keys that Can Unlock a Darkened Heart

Never Alone

A Good Friend, in Time of Need

Filling an Empty Void of Rejection

Exchanging Our Weakness for a Greater Strength

Focusing on the Prize

Pursuing True Peace

God is More Powerful, Than Any Powerful Obstacle

I Need Thee...Oh I Need Thee

On Alert

The Difference between Being Perfect and Becoming Perfect

Underestimating God's Help

Hearing the Voice of God

Connecting with God, Rather than the Problem

Praise...a Light That Can Destroy Darkness

A Mighty Warrior for a Strong Battle

Walking in Loving Footsteps

Sizing up the Battle

Arms of Refuge

Never Forsaken

Hope for an Uncertain Future

Confidence in God's Decision

Pressing on During Moments of Adversity

A God Who Will Walk Us through Darkness

Is Discouragement Running our Lives?

Walking Alone Through Unknown Territory

Looking for the Eternal Instead of the Temporal

God is drawn to the Broken Heart

Do Our Problems Dictate Our Lives?

A Sustaining Shepherd

Walking through Adversity to Press On

Peace...a Refuge of Sustainment, Until the Storm Passes By

Most times, we think of peace, as a time of rest...a time away from the world and the problems that associate us with the world but peace is really a time, when we have a calm assurance, that God has everything under control...a time when we can settle back and know in our hearts and minds, that our God will take care of us.

John 14:27 says..."Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." The world's definition of peace is to be free from problems. They only identify with the word, "peace", when everything seems to be going their way but on the other hand, we as Christians should view the word "peace," in a different way. We should be experiencing peace, even in the midst of the storm.

When a hurricane hits, the quietest part of the storm is in the midst or eye of the hurricane. Everything around the eye of the hurricane can be destructive but if someone was to enter the eye of the storm, they would find a calmness that would make them think that there was no storm at all. In a similar way, we need to remember that God's peace can be found too, in the midst or eye of our storm. We don't have to wait until the storm completely passes by, in order to experience God's peace. The storm may seem fierce, as it rages around us but when we can discover a place, where we can rest in the peace of God; then we will find a shelter that will take us away from the blunt of the storm and sustain us.

Our storm today may seem as though it's the strength of a thunderstorm, while other times, we may feel as if a hurricane is headed our direction; but one thing we need to remember...we don't have to be beaten up by the effects of the storm. There is a place, where God can take us...a place where we don't feel the effects of the storm...only His perfect peace and sustainment; where we can be sheltered, until the storm has passed by.

I pray that we will not allow our circumstances to whip us around and become destructive in our lives; but that we will seek God's peace and pursue it; that we may discover a shelter, where we will be safe and filled with a peace that only comes from the presence of God.

How Can We Add Praise to Our Prayers?

How can we add praise into our prayer time? What will deepen our communication with God, while spending time with Him in prayer? Luke 11:1-4 reads..."One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." (2) He said to them, "When you pray, say:" "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. (3) Give us each day our daily bread. (4) Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation." As we read these verses, we need to notice that Jesus first praised His Father, before asking anything of Him. When we can begin a prayer by praising God, even if it's just for knowing Him and who He has been to us, then we have allowed ourselves to open up a one to one communication with Him. Our praise becomes a means of lifting ourselves above our problems and concerns, to a place where we can talk heart to heart with God.

In addition, we need to quit making our prayer time, a to-do list for God and begin to enter our prayer time, with the right frame of mind. When we turn our prayer time into a to-do list for God, then we miss out on the moments we can truly share with Him...moments that will reassure us of His presence and love. I believe that God's desire is for us to sit, as children before Him and commune with Him. He longs for our love, just as we long for His love and help in return but how are we going to form a bond and relationship with Him, if we run to Him, with only a list of things that need to be done?

Last night, we had a storm and the sky was filled with bolts of lightning, while the thunder rumbled, as I hadn't heard in quite some time. The first thing that came to my thoughts was this..."God...how I take your power and presence for granted at times. I hear the thunder rumbling in your presence and you have reminded me tonight, that you are a god of great power...a god that can do great and wondrous things in my life." Do we share the same feelings, when it comes to prayer? Can we find a reason to praise God and give Him the place that He so rightfully deserves or are we in a hurry, while we leave our to-do list behind with God?

I pray that we will take more time with God and find a reason to thank Him and praise Him each day, for the wondrous God He is!

What Source of Power Are We Using, During Difficult Times of Battle?

What source of power are we turning to today? Does our source of power come from God...a god who parted the Red Sea and caused shackles to fall to the ground, while prison doors opened, with just the presence of His Spirit? Do we see His resurrection, as a one-time event that reveals His power occasionally within our lives or does His Spirit of power reside within us all the time? Are we keeping the flame of His power alive or have our negative thoughts and words blown out the flame that should be burning within us?

Psalm 20:6-9 reads..."Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. (7) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (8) They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm."

Are we living these verses today? Do we see ourselves as people who lean completely on God for the power we need or do we trust in our own so-called weapons or devices? One thing I've always enjoyed about David; was that he never went into battle without God. Instead, David prayed that the power of God would enter his weapon and because he invited God into the battle...the battle was always victorious. Are we going into battle with just what we can muster or are we asking for God's power to enter too?

We could be losing battles today because we are going into battle without the power and presence of a strong and mighty God. The one, who chooses to fight their battles alone, will only discover a very draining battle...a battle that brings them to their knees; but the person who chooses to include the presence and power of God into their battle will never waver but rather, they will find themselves standing firm, while rising high above despair.

I pray that we will always find a need for the power of God...a need that sends a message to God and says..."I can't fight this battle without your power and presence!"

Why Do We Choose Bondage Over the Cross?

As Christians we serve a strong and mighty God but yet we choose to turn back to the weak things in our lives and suffer with them, rather than choose to be free through the cross of Christ. Why is that so? Galatians 4:9 reads..."But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"

Thousands of years ago, a man by the name of Jesus Christ died a brutal death on a cross, to pay the price for all of our sins and because of this, He also was able to obtain a set of keys that could unlock our prison cell of bondage and set us free. All He asked of us was for us to accept His free offer of hope and help.

Once we choose to turn to Christ and believe in all that He can do for our lives, we find that we begin to face battles...a test of our faith and trust in Him. Rather than remain in the freedom we began with, we find ourselves lured away by our circumstances, into a trap set up by Satan, where we find ourselves falling back into bondage.

Do we realize that these circumstances can also become decoys, where Satan attempts to draw us away from the freedom of the cross; to a place where he can control our hearts, thoughts and minds? Do we know where these pathways of circumstance can lead us, when we leave God out of our problems?

Jesus' death represented more than a lot of suffering. Instead, His death represented a way to not only free us but keep us free. When we lean on Him, during trying circumstances, then we are revealing to Him, that we not only long for His help but we long to also remain free through Him.

Why do we choose bondage above freedom, when the price of freedom has already been paid in full? When we choose to walk down a road with the problems we're facing, then everything Christ died for becomes in vain. It's as if the road of problems just leads us directly back into a prison cell...where once again we feel hopelessness.

There is hope, for those of us who have gone the wrong direction because Jesus still holds the keys...the keys that can once more free us and take us away from bondage. The choice is up to us now. Jesus already made the way...He's just waiting for us to walk in it. When we are willing to let go of our problems and give them to Him, then He will come to our prison cell...put the key in the lock and free us once more!

I pray that we will allow our thoughts and hearts, to walk away from our problems and begin to travel the road once more that Christ has laid out before us!

A Father...A Friend and a God of Mercy

God's mercy is not just there for our moments of sin; but His mercy is there for us, during times of adversity...as a means of stomping out the darkness of evil that tries to enter our lives. Psalm 28:6-7 reads..."Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and will give thanks to him in song."

We don't have to suffer needlessly, by trying to hang on to an affliction that we may be experiencing for the moment; for God is a god that will hear the cries of our heart and come to our aide. Why do we wait for a moment of desperation, before we cry out to God for help? Why do we try to hold onto a circumstance, when deep down, we know that we are not strong enough?

God's tender mercies become a shield that's placed before us...a shield that will either stop the circumstance altogether or a shield that will sustain and keep the worst of the storm away...whatever God's plan may be for that moment.

God's mercy can be filled with strength at one moment...a strength that can become stronger than our circumstance and the darkness that's trying to creep in, while revealing a tender and compassionate Spirit to us, especially during difficult times of need.

When we can truly understand the personality of a loving God, then we will be able to call Him Father...Friend and a God that can hold us within His tender and loving arms, until the storm passes by.

Grace That Can Produce New Growth and a Greater Strength

In the past, I've talked on the meaning of grace, which means "God's Riches at Christ Expense." In other words; God gave us His very best, which is salvation; through the expense of His Son's death on the cross. Once we accept His gift of grace, where do our lives go from there? II Peter 3:18 reads..."But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

When we accept Jesus to come into our hearts, He plants the seed of grace within us but are we nourishing the seed or are we allowing His grace to remain the same, as when we first came to know Him?

In order for a seed to grow and produce, it needs to have sunshine and water. If the seed is never given what is needed, then it will die. In a similar way, if we aren't allowing God's seed of grace to grow within us, then we will never experience God's best; but instead, the seed of grace will become dormant and our lives will never grow stronger in God and we will soon discover that our relationship with Him will suffer and we will find ourselves facing other moments of adversity, with weakness instead of His strength.

How can we allow God's grace to grow within our hearts? We can read His word and talk with Him, so a relationship can begin to form and produce new growth but there's also another way and this is when we face difficult moments of affliction or trial. In order for a seed to take root...it must first die. In a similar way, there may be times when we die to ourselves through affliction, so God's very best can begin to take root and grow. Once the moments of affliction have allowed God to become stronger within us, while leaning on Him for help and support, then new shoots of growth will stem from the seed of grace and cause us to see other moments of adversity and even God in a different light...a light that reveals a greater strength, which can only be found through God.

No matter what we may be facing today, we will never have the strength and grace to grow, if we are trying to make our situation work for ourselves. When we face a circumstance in this way, we are only prolonging the growth that God longs for us to experience. His Son's death gave us a free seed of grace. He's already planted it within the one who believes in Him. Now it's up to us to allow His grace to grow and become strength for us, so His grace won't become a seed that was planted in vain.

A Comforter of Love and Grace

God's presence and grace becomes a comforter or blanket of love...to cover sin and suffering in our lives. He takes His best and stitches it together with words of hope and love that allow us to feel His comforting Spirit. You see...He's already paid the price for this comforter of love. He purchased it a long time ago and has been waiting for us to accept it, as His free gift to us all.

John 14:15-17, 26 reads..."If you love me, obey me; and I will ask the Father and he will give you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, for it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, for he lives with you now and someday shall be in you....But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me...and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit...he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you."

We don't have to sit out in the cold and lonely moments that allow us to feel hopeless and distant from Christ, when He has already offered a shelter to us within the warmth of His comforting Spirit. Just because we are facing difficult trials in our lives; doesn't mean that there isn't a God out there that won't sustain and shelter us from the cold and bitter winds of despair.

When we are covered with a comforter, that resembles God's presence and grace, then the storms can blow around us all they want because we will be sheltered within words of truth and hope...words that can penetrate our spirits and bring comfort to our broken down bodies and minds.

Many will never find this free gift of hope and comfort because they are caught up in the moments of their own adversity; but those who choose to turn away from these difficult moments of trial, to seek God's free gift, will find that He is more than willing to cover up the hurts and pains we experience from day to day, with a comforter that compares to no other...a comforter of love and grace!

Why Would God Create Something He Couldn't Love?

We can find ourselves comparing God's love for us, by the way we view a worldly so-called love. We can take the words that break our hearts and come to believe them so deeply, that before we realize it, we feel that God thinks the same way about us too.

Luke 12:7 reads..."Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Here is a god who knows so much about us, that He can even name the number of hairs on our head. Can we or any other person have that much wisdom and understanding? We need to ask ourselves one important question before moving on..."Why would God create us, if He didn't think He could love us?"

Why are we so easily drawn to the words of man, rather than the truth that comes from God? In my study Bible, it says...."Our true value is God's estimate of our worth....not our peers." If God never loved us or found anything worth creating us for, then why would He ever consider going to the cross? He must have saw some value or worth in us, otherwise, I don't think He would've wasted His time or allowed Himself to go through so much pain and agony for us. We need to remember the words of John 3:16, which reads..."For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jesus died a brutal death out of love for us...a love that would allow Him to continue loving us, even into eternity.

Are we going to believe the hurtful words of man or are we going to believe the words of a loving God, who loved us so much, that He gave up the dearest thing to Him...His Son? Are we going to believe hurtful words that will eventually pass away or are we going to believe a Love that created us and longs to share in a relationship that will eventually become eternal?

Words can break a heart and cause us to fall into despair; but there are also words of truth that can lift us up, into arms of true love...a love that will hold us close, even into a new life to come!

My prayer today, is that we all will come to view a real and lasting love...a love that separates our thoughts from the world's feelings and reveals that we truly belong to Him!

Tears...a Cleansing for the Heart

Are we allowing God to have the space He needs to work within our hearts or will it take a broken heart to know His ways? Are we viewing a broken heart as defeat or are we looking at our brokenness, as a means of a healing that will allow the presence of God to be felt deeper within our hearts?

Ezekiel 6:8-10 reads..."But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. (9) Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me...how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. (10) And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them." In this reading...the Israelites turned to idol worship, so a prophecy was given, that God would demolish their altars and destroy many. There would be some who would be spared; but only after they had learned some hard lessons and in order for these lessons to be learned and branded upon their hearts; God would have to break them down...that they may remember His laws and obey Him.

There may be times when God allows similar moments into our lives. These moments aren't to show hatred or an uncaring spirit; but instead, they are meant to steer us towards God's direction, so our hearts are always connected to His. God may allow our hearts to be broken for a special reason. Sometimes it takes tears of the heart, to cleanse the heart, so the heart is clean and ready to be occupied by God.

God's light shines through the darkness; when He allows our heart to be broken...not as a means of turning us away from Him; but as a means of keeping us close to Him. Our worldly mind can allow us to feel as though God doesn't love us or care for us anymore; but if we were to see our situation through His eyes; we would see a God who loves us so much, that He is willing to turn His head away from us, for one moment of satisfaction; that we may once more know His presence.

Walking Away from Adversity to Discover God

If we were to be totally honest with ourselves; could we say that we feel the presence of God with us right now or do we feel completely surrounded by an army of circumstance? In James 4:8, it reads..."Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

As we walk through our day; we can find ourselves facing a fork in the road. One direction wants to take us closer to God, while the other direction only wants to lead us further down a road of adversity. While stopping at the fork in the road; we know in our hearts that God is longing for us to go His direction...a direction that will lead us closer to Him and further away from our problems; but on the other hand...the other road seems to be convincing us that we need to hang onto our problems or walk with them down the road, so we can always feel we have control. We need to remember though; that whatever road we choose, will either lead us one step closer to God or one step away from God.

Trust is formed, when we can walk down the road that leads us towards God's direction; even when we don't always know the outcome. How is it, that we choose the road away from God, when we already know that the outcome won't be good? If we don't enjoy the circumstance in our life right now, then why do we want to remain attached to it? The verse above says..."Come near to God and he will come near to you..." That doesn't mean that if we come near to God, that He will change His mind the last minute and walk away. That doesn't mean that He would allow us to find Him and then walk away from us and leave us in despair. The verse is saying that when we approach God, then He will respond and be there for us.

What road have we chosen to take today? Are we testing the waters of faith with God, while walking closer to Him or are we escorting our problems down a dangerous road that will only place us in moments of deeper adversity? The choice is ours but remember that whatever we draw close to, will draw close to us; whether it is God or more problems!

I pray that we will be willing to let go of the circumstances that have tried to attach themselves to us; that we may walk down a road, that will bring us even closer to God!

I Lost It All to Find Christ

Tonight, as I was thinking about what I should write; a portion of a song came to my thoughts, which goes like this..."I lost it all, to find everything; I died a pauper, to become a king. When I learned how to lose, I found out how to win. Oh, I lost it all to find everything." As I was singing the words to this song; it was as if God was bringing the words to life within me! It's not always easy to lose out in life and even more...it's not easy to suffer loss, while we see the world going merrily along. Our thoughts can seem confused, as to why a world that doesn't choose to follow Christ always seems to succeed, while a person who loves Christ remains caught within affliction.

Philippians 3:8 reads..."What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ..." In order for us to discover Christ completely; we need to experience loss...a loss that takes us further away from the world and closer to Christ. When we look at loss, we tend to feel sad or in despair because this is what we've been taught to feel through a worldly stand point. We need to realize though; that the more we lose in this life...the richer we are going to become, as we discover Christ in a greater way.

We need to understand, that when we lose out in this life; it's so that we can find everything we need to discover through Christ. When we can learn how to lose; with an understanding that this isn't a time of failure or despair, then we will discover the true meaning of what it feels like to win.

When we choose to count everything in this life as loss or rubbish and view our losses as a means of gaining a greater understanding of Christ...an understanding that will cause us to soar in our relationship with Him, then we will no longer fall for the trap of despair; but rather, we will rise higher with Christ; to a place where the weakness that was brought on by loss, will become strength and new growth!

I pray that we will lay our worldly sight to the side; that we may see more clearly through the eyes of Christ...in a way that will draw us away from the world and closer to Him!

A Reason to Rejoice

It's not always easy to find a reason to rejoice, especially while going through a bad day or a time of adversity. In our worldly way of thinking, we find it difficult to see the word "rejoice", when it comes to a difficult moment in our lives. Instead, we refer to tears, sadness, anger or frustration but we must remember that we are no longer of the world, if we have accepted Jesus Christ to live within our hearts and lives.

II Corinthians 12:9b-10 reads..."Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

When we think with an earthly mind, we see affliction, as a time when we feel down and out, over whatever we are going through at the moment but when we are made new in Christ, our minds should see these moments of adversity in a different way. If we were to look at our situation, in the same way as Christ, we wouldn't see our adversities as a means of being down in despair but rather, we would see our adversities, as a means of rejoicing...rejoicing because God is at work in our lives. If we could remember that God doesn't allow difficult moments into our lives, unless He has a plan or purpose for them, then we would find it easier to see our adversities His way.

When we are strong within ourselves, we are tempted to do God's work our own way. Pride begins to flood and fill every part of our being and when pride is there, God can't reach us and use us in the way He'd like to because pride ends up becoming a wall that stops Him from working, in the way He'd like to work. In order for us to be used, we need to be humbled before Him and sometimes that means experiencing moments of affliction or adversity, so He can take us down to the level, where He can use us and we can know His desires, rather than our own. That doesn't mean that we should fall prey to these moments of weakness. When we can rejoice through these humbling moments, then we are acknowledging God's hand at work within our lives. In other words, we are happy for these moments because we know that we have been chosen by the Most High God, to be used in a way that will bring honor and glory to His name...a way that will also allow ourselves to do work for Him that has lasting value.

We can find it so easy to fall back into the old way of thinking...the way we used to think, before we knew Christ. We need to realize, that when we fall backwards into our old way of thinking, we can also fall into bondage...a place where all we experience and see is despair.

May we allow our view of life to coincide with Christ's...that the wall of despair may fall to the ground, so that our lives may be used in a special way for Him!

Crucified with Christ

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ? We know that it doesn't mean to actually be crucified with Him in a physical sense. Galatians 2:20 reads..."I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

When we become Christians, we not only accept Jesus Christ to come and live within our hearts; but rather a change takes place...a change that allows our old life to be crucified spiritually; that we may rise into a new life with Christ. The old worldly speech leaves, so words that are filled with hope and a positive tongue can rise up within us. The heart that used to be cold and calloused has now been renewed with the warmth of God's presence shining through us and the mind that only looked for the worst, is now seeking for thoughts that draw us closer to God. Our daily lives are continually being crucified, as we allow the baggage from our yesterdays, to be left behind; that we may climb higher above despair. The more we leave ourselves behind; we discover that we gain Christ even more.

As each thing of the past is left along the roadside, we begin to feel more of God's presence at work in our lives. We no longer feel the loneliness that used to reign within us because we have now gained a new friend, which is Jesus Christ and as we allow His presence to breathe through our spirits, we find that fear, doubt and all the negativity that used to weigh us down, has been cleansed and is no longer cluttering our hearts.

As we begin a new week, we may have a mixed bag of good and trying moments ahead of us but when we can remember who lives within us, then we will be able to connect with God's power...a power that can see us through any difficult situation.

Have you been crucified with Christ? Are we allowing the old things to die and lay along the wayside, so Christ can give us a new heart...a heart, mind and spirit that can take us above despair and fill us with His presence?

I pray that we won't allow Christ to remain idle within our hearts; but that we will allow His presence to move in, while the clutter of the past fades away and a new life springs forth within us. May we all, truly find the presence of God, in this brand new day!

A Perfect Friend

Do we see Jesus Christ as our best friend or are we using Him as a backup, for the moments when no one else is around? Exodus 33:11 reads..."The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent."

I can just see it now...God and Moses talking face to face, as though they had been best friends for years. I'm sure that there were moments when Moses enjoyed his visit with the Lord and there were probably moments when he dreaded their visit because God had something for him to do...something that either made him feel unworthy or something that he was just afraid or leery of doing. Even though Moses experienced moments, when he felt alone and friendless...away from his wife and children, he knew that God could be depended on, to be the best friend he would ever need.

Have we made God our best friend? Do we have a settled feeling within us, that God will always be there for us, even when others walk away or are we prone to easily accept a life of loneliness or relationships that only take us into a pit of despair? God can become our friend, as we greet Him each morning and as we speak with Him in the quiet hours, just before ending the day. When we can share our day with God and depend on Him for help with each need, then a bond will begin to form, with habits that cause us to see Him as the best friend we could ever have or need.

Do we see God as a good friend...someone we could speak to each day, as though He was standing before us? Do we know that even when other friendships fail; that our best friend, Jesus Christ will be there for us...to pick up the pieces, while we experience the complete fullness of His presence? Have you spoken to God today? Have you shared in a conversation that will keep your spirits on high with Him? He's already longing so much to be the best friend you could ever have. All you have to do is respond back.

All Things Are Made Beautiful in Time

God has a way of making everything beautiful in His time. In the spring, we plant our gardens and flowers and once they are in the ground, we get anxious to see what they produce but if the plants were to just grow instantly, we would never get to enjoy the process of their growth.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 11 reads..."There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; (2) a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. (11) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Just as there is a process of growth for each plant that's planted, there is also a process of growth that takes place in our own lives. If we miss out on the process of a living flower, then we would only see the end result, which is the bloom but when we can see the bud take shape, as it slowly opens into a beautiful flower, then we not only see the flower but also the stages of growth that brought the flower to its final stage of beauty.

In our own lives, it can be difficult to wait on God, while He works with us but it's only through the moments of new growth, that He gradually produces something beautiful in our lives. He wants us to experience each step, as He gently unfolds new and lasting moments in our lives...moments that will bring us to the final stage of growth. Once He's taken us through each step of growth, then new buds will appear and our lives will open up into something beautiful that can be used for Him.

I pray that we will be patient and look for the new stages of growth He's producing in our lives, that we may eventually be able to see, that He can make all things beautiful in His time.

Making a Wise Decision during a Difficult Circumstance

We can come to realize, that making a wise decision, during a difficult time in our life, isn't always that easy. We can feel lost and uncertain and our circumstance has a way of making us feel even more distant from God but there is a way that can help...a remedy for the soul and that remedy is through prayer. James 1:5 reads..."If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Even though we experience moments in our lives, when we feel lost and forsaken, we can find renewed hope and wisdom, to help us during the time of our need. When we can look to God for our wisdom, instead of trying to figure everything out on our own, then He will come directly to us and answer our request.

As we seek God, we will also discover that He has a piece of the puzzle that will fit directly into the needs of our lives; but when we choose to fumble around in the dark and choose any idea of our own, rather than waiting upon Him, then we will find that the piece doesn't fit directly into our lives. No matter how much we try to make it fit, it just does not work, in the same way that God has planned.

Instead of opening doors, that only lead ourselves to anxiety and frustration, we need to seek God through prayer and ask for His wisdom. When we hear His voice within our spirits, then we will also find peace...knowing that His presence hasn't forsaken us.

I pray that we will look to God, for His answers, rather than our own; that we may find His wisdom instead of our desires!

What's the Right Decision?

Genesis 13:8-11, says..."So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. (9) Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left. (10) Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) (11) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:"

In this reading, Lot was being given a choice by Abram, as to where he would like to journey and reside. Lot's decision wasn't made by what was right for him or what God would have for him but rather; his decision was based upon what he saw as the best piece of land. Even though he knew that he would be residing in a city that stood for sin, his decision never changed but later...Lot paid the price for his decision, as he began to experience more problems in his life.

Wrong choices can lead to more problems. When we chose comfort, prestige or wealth above God's will for our lives; then we discover that we have unplugged ourselves from the most powerful being...the greatest source that can lead us towards the right decision for our lives. We need to remember that when we gave our lives to God, we not only asked Him to come and live within us but we also asked Him to take control of our lives and lead us in the right direction; but when we choose to make decisions that are based on our feelings, instead of God's will, then we may have to settle for the consequences in the end.

We need to remember, that our choices shouldn't be based on what we desire; but instead, our decisions should be completely based on God's desires for us. When we leave the decision up to Him, then we will have a peace that always tells us, that we are headed in the right direction.

A Simpler Life + A Humble Life = Contentment

Are we truly content with our lives and the relationship we have with Christ? Are we experiencing a life of peace and humility or are we slowly sinking into a life of discontentment? Psalm 131:1-2 reads..."My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. (2) But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." What beautiful words, from the psalmist David!

As Christians, we shouldn't be so caught up with the matters and affairs of this life, that we find ourselves slowly slipping away from the peace and quietness that can only be found in a life that connects with God. Are we finding ourselves caught up in the things that are too high for us...things that bring about pride and a haughty spirit? Do we concern ourselves with matters of the heart that bring about discontentment, anxiety and frustration? If so, then we need to leave them behind and continue to search for the things that will allow us to live in peace and harmony with Christ.

When our lives begin to feel as though they are caught within a web of questions...questions that should be left with God, rather than with ourselves...it's probably because we have taken our eyes away from Christ, while we turn to the things around us that allow us to get caught up into the matters of this life. Jesus made the way simple for us but when we get our thoughts into matters that are too high for us to figure out, then we lose the simplicity and freedom we once had in life and instead, we find that life becomes more complicated, while our lives fall into a place of bondage. When we find that our worries are taking us to a place that doesn't belong to Christ, then we not only live with an uncertain heart but we also find that we open doors to evil, where Satan continues to enhance our problems, so he can keep our minds busy and away from Christ.

Can we say like the psalmist David...My heart isn't filled with pride; but rather a humble spirit...a spirit that longs to work with God, instead of figuring life out on our own?

I pray that we will discover life to be simpler, by remaining humble and may we leave the matters of our hearts with a God who can reach beyond us, while working with our needs!

Is Our Relationship With God Easy or Complicated?

Are we living with a childlike faith today or are we trying to be sophisticated people, who live by our own knowledge and so called wisdom? Do we see our lives as a life that's always difficult to keep up with or do we know in our hearts that God is our Father and we are His children? Mark 10:13-15 reads..."People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. (14) When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (15) I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter in."

How do we become as children before God? Do we have to approach God a certain way, in order for Him to accept us? Do our prayers have to be filled with words of intellect, in order for God to hear them? Why do we see God in this way, when all He longs for is our loving trust in Him? I think we're trying too hard to be this perfect Christian, when all along, He just wants us to be who He created us to be.

As children grow up, they come to believe in a person and follow after a person, as they learn to trust them and children who grow up and want to be like another person, have only become this way because they have come to admire this person and believe in them. In a similar way, this is how we should be with God. As we come to trust in Him and know that He can be there for us and allow everything in our lives to work out for His good, then we will come to believe in Him, in a way that will form a bond and a relationship. We should trust, admire and believe in God, like the child who admires another person, while longing to always be like them.

Are we finding it difficult to form a close and lasting relationship with God? If so, then maybe we don't trust in God enough or maybe we are too busy, trying to live in someone else's shoes...shoes that don't belong to us or God. I pray that we will come to realize, that a relationship with God doesn't take any effort...just a heart of love, trust and belief in Him!

Soon we'll know the Reasons Why

Seems like there are so many people lately, who are hurting in one form or another and there are those who are living with chronic pain, while others are going through one health issue after another. There are also those who are hurting emotionally, with stress-filled lives. In these days we are living in, we all need words of hope to hold tightly too...words that can comfort us and sustain us, so we can continue to be able to press on, towards the prize that awaits us in Heaven.

There's a beautiful song of renewed hope that can be a reminder to all of us, that God hasn't forgotten us. The words go like this..."Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder, why it should be thus all the day long; while there are others living about us, never molested, though in the wrong. Farther along we'll know more about it, farther along we'll understand why; cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, and we'll understand it all by and by. Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer, go in the rain, the cold, and the snow; when there are many living in comfort, giving no heed to all I can do. Tempted and tried, how often we question, why we must suffer year after year; being accused by those of our loved ones, even though we've walked in God's holy fear. Often when death has taken our loved ones, leaving our home so lone and so drear; then do we wonder why others prosper, living so wicked year after year. "Faithful till death," saith our loving Master; short is our time to labor and wait; then will our toiling seem to be nothing, when we shall pass the heavenly gate. Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior; hear the last trumpet sound through the sky; then we will meet those gone on before us, then we shall know and understand why."

A lot of us sit and live with question after question, as to why God would allow certain things to enter our lives. Why do we have a God who is capable of doing all things but yet He hasn't answered my prayer? Why do I go through so much, while others around me go through nothing or so little? These are the questions that God will answer, when we meet Him face to face. Right now, we need to remember, that when we get caught up into the questions "why;" we tend to allow ourselves, to become distant from God.

Faith and trust are the words we need to cling to right now; for these words will become a crutch on each side of us, to hold us up and steady us, until we meet Christ face to face. When we can hold tightly to our faith, rather than fall prey to the questions...questions that will only slow us down, then we will have found complete trust in God...a trust that will relay a message to Him, that says..."I don't fully understand why this is happening right now but I know that I can trust you for the answers later."

God's Presence Separates Us from Evil

When we choose to follow after God, instead of following after the problems in our lives, then we find that His presence separates us from evil. Leviticus 11:44-45 says..."I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves to be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. (45) I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

When we choose to be holy, as Christ is holy, then we not only separate ourselves from the world but we also discover that we are taken away from Satan's desires. Christ doesn't want us to just be Christians; but instead, He longs for us to imitate Him. When we find ourselves standing within the light of His presence, instead of standing within the darkness of our problems, then we will not only experience His fullness but we will find that we are truly His.

When we imitate the world, by the way we respond to our problems, we will discover that we are never separated from our problems or the world. When Jesus went to the cross, it wasn't His idea to keep us in bondage but to free us; so why are we claiming to be His, while we separate ourselves from Him, during moments of despair?

Jesus never said the road would be easy and so many times we think we need to handle our problems alone. We need to remember that the journey to the cross made a way and when we work with God, we can achieve anything through Him.

Prayer...a Remedy for Stress

Why are we more willing to settle with stress, rather than lay our needs before the throne of God? We sit and weave a blanket of all of our problems, while we cling to them as a means of security; but meantime the stress level keeps building, as we find these needs to be more harmful to us than good.

Psalm 62:5-6 says..."Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (6) He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

Stress can affect our lives in so many ways. People, who live with chronic pain, can find that stress increases their pain levels, while others find that stress can cause their blood pressure to increase, while experiencing busy days and sleepless nights. God made a way or a place of refuge for us...a place where we can meet Him and take a break from our day...a place where we can find rest instead of stress.

In these verses we just read, David is expressing his feelings before God. He's telling himself, that he can find rest within his soul, when he separates himself from everything around him, except for God. From there, David is encouraging himself, to find hope in God and that God can become a rock or firm foundation to lean on, during troubled times. David is also taking notice, that God is a great and mighty fortress or a place of defense and security...knowing that nothing can harm him or go wrong, when he's sheltered in the presence of the Most High God.

Are we viewing God in the same way? Do we see God as something greater than our problems or have we found security with the problem, which will only lead us in the direction of a stressful life? God has given us a choice...we can either lay each days problems before the feet of a mighty God or we can experience a stress that we don't have to experience. How many times do we miss out on the joy of the Lord because we have chosen the stress of our problems over prayer and time spent with God?

I pray that we will come to realize, that time spent with God can produce a stress free relationship...a relationship that can flourish and grow into eternity.

Shining Brightly...a Glimpse of Hope from the Cross

Are we missing out on the new life that Christ gave us, when we accepted Him as Lord and Savior? Has our life become too cluttered with bits and pieces of the old life; that we can't even feel the excitement that comes from the presence of God? II Corinthians 5:16-17 says..."So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

There might have been a time when we had an excuse to doubt, fear or walk down our own chosen pathway; but the moment we gave our life over to Christ, we not only gave Him permission to do with our lives, as He thought best; but we also made a decision to leave the old man behind, so we could follow after Jesus Christ. A part of following Christ is to imitate Him. Do we take the time to stop and think, as to whether Christ would handle a problem this way or another way or do we find that we are still connected to the old life...the life that only dictated our every thought, while revealing negativity and despair?

This evening, a song came to my thoughts...an old hymn titled "At the Cross." The chorus goes like this..."At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away; it was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day!" This beautiful hymn tells a story and as I was reflecting on the song tonight...this is what Jesus helped me to see..."It was at a cross...not any ordinary cross but the cross that Jesus died on; where I first saw a glimpse of light shine through my darkness...the darkness that had formed a heavy burden of sin and despair. The minute I saw this glimpse of God's light shine through the darkness that was surrounding me; the burden of my heart instantly fell from me and rolled far away from me. Now I no longer live in darkness; for now I have my sight. I am no longer blinded; but now I can see. My sight only came about because I had enough faith to believe in this small glimpse of light that shined from the cross onto my pathway and now that I have truly received a new life, surrounded by the presence of God, I have a reason to rejoice every day."

Have we become different, since the first glimpse of light shone directly from the cross to our pathway? Do we see with a new set of eyes...eyes that reveal faith instead of doubt and hope instead of fear? If not, then maybe we need to travel back in time; to the moment when we first experienced that first glimpse of God's light...a place where we can not only reminisce on our experience with Christ; but a place where we can find renewal once more.

Experiencing a Powerful Presence through Weakness

How are we viewing the difficult moments that come into our lives? When we can see our problems or afflictions, as an opportunity to be used by God, then we find that we don't fall as easily into the traps of despair. It's so easy to get caught up in our weaknesses that we forget to remain humble and open, to whatever God has planned for our lives. II Corinthians 12:9 reads..."But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

Do we ever take into consideration that the greatest time that Christ is seen, is while we experience weakness? If we are viewing the difficult moments, as a time of humbleness, then Christ will have room, to rise up within us and use the circumstance, so He can be known to us and others around us.

Every day, we are surrounded by people, whether it be, in person, on the phone or on the internet. When we see a person give of themself and do a kind deed; we recognize that person, as the one who was willing to help us or someone else in need and we thank them but how do we experience the presence of God in our daily lives? One of the ways we can experience His presence, is through prayer but how does He reveal Himself to us and others, when no one can see Him face to face? How do we experience His touch, as a moment that we will never forget? I'm sure that God can reveal Himself in whatever way He chooses because He is God but at the same time He shines forth in a greater way, while we allow Him to work through our weaknesses. When God allows us to become weakened and humble through affliction; it's as if He is taking us out of the picture, so He can rise up in our place and allow His power to be seen, as He works through our day to day problems. When we can see the difficult moments in our lives, as an opportunity to be used by God, rather than a final moment of defeat, then we find hope and a reason to rejoice.

We need to ask ourselves this question today...are we seeing the difficult moments, in a way that will lead us to a place, where we may end up falling prey to Satan's trap of despair or are we allowing our moments of weakness to keep us humble; in a way that will reveal to God, that there is plenty of room for Him to work in our lives?

The Presence of God...Always Close and Ever Near

There can be times, when we feel all alone, in our world of pain, heartache or just a tough day. Whatever we're going through for the moment, can allow us to feel a heavy weight upon our shoulders but there is always a way to experience hope in our day, when we know that God is looking over our shoulder...always close and ever so near. Psalm 121:5-6 says..."The Lord watches over you...the Lord is your shade at your right hand; (6) the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night."

We can become so busy in a day; especially when we are beginning a new week; that we forget that God is always with us. Whenever I have a down day; God reminds me, that He can become my sunshine during the day; that I may experience a pathway that's bright and fragrant with his presence; while He reminds me at night, that He can be the moonlight, that allows my pathway to remain lit, so I can constantly follow his lead.

How many of us have days, when we feel as though we are lost in a wilderness. We can't seem to find our way out of a circumstance and everywhere we seem to go; just leads us back to where we first began. God has taught me over time; that if I allow Him to be my sunlight by day and my moonlight by night, then I will be able to walk out of the wilderness I'm facing. Knowing He's with me; allows the problem to become more distant from me, while I feel the power of His hand gently leading me out of my wilderness of despair.

There's a satisfaction that comes, when a person can walk out of a wilderness that was once filled with difficult moments of adversity because once our Lord walks us through these moments; He takes us to a place, where we rise above despair, while He allows us to look down and see the distance He's brought us.

I pray that we will long for the sunshine of His presence each day and when the nights seem dark and lonely; we will look up to the heavens and find His presence shining down upon us; that we may find renewed hope, for each new day!

A Limitless Love That Grows With Time

Do we view the love of God as something unfathomable or do we see His love, in comparison to the love we experience here on earth? We can become so accustomed to the love we experience here on earth... a love that is there one moment, while walking away the next that we find it difficult to truly know how much God loves us.

Ephesians 3:16-19, says..."I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (17) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, (18) may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, (19) and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

If we were to see God's love as something that goes to the extreme west, east, north and south, then we would experience a never ending love. Not only is His love this great but also the power and strength He holds within His hands.

We are so used to a world that offers love and takes it away. We may find love and feel that this love will never end, until a day comes when the love of a friend isn't strong enough to cope with another person's burdens. If we were to compare God's love to this kind of earthly love, then we would only experience a small drop of the love He longs to offer us. The only way we are going to be able to experience the type of love God has to give, is when we allow His love to take root within our hearts. Once His love has taken root, then His love will continue to grow and flourish.

We may never fully understand the height, width and depth of His love but as we open up ourselves to Him, we will experience a love that can never be felt here on earth. After experiencing His love, by allowing Him to work out His plan for our lives, we will long for more of His love, and after experiencing His love in a genuine way, we will never be the same again because His love will grow and become a love that allows us to feel safe and secure.

A Solid Foundation of Faith

A faith that grows daily can keep us standing and further away from the clutches of evil. Luke 6:47-48 says..."I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. (48) He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built."

Has our words of faith built a house within our hearts that is solid, while standing on the foundation of Jesus Christ or have our words built a house that is shaky, with no foundation to keep us standing firm in Christ?

With every ounce of faith we gather; our faith becomes like solid bricks that build a strong place, where we can remain close to God and steadfast in Him but when we allow a weak faith to remain within our lives, then we find that our house is not built to weather the storms that may come our direction.

We can be living a life, that seems comfortable in faith...a life where we have always been, since we first came to know Jesus but the first storm that comes along will only allow us to sway within the wind; where we question God and the plans He has for our lives. Instead, we need to allow the difficult moments, when we've walked through the fire; to become a solid foundation, that will allow our house to not only stand but to also become a secure place, where we can become more protected from the evil that surrounds us.

Completely Committed Through Adversity

Are we committed to God, even while we endure the difficult moments? There can be times when God allows difficult situations to enter our lives; that He may test our faith and commitment to Him; to see how much we truly love Him.

Genesis 22:7-8 says..."Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (8) Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together." At this time; God was testing Abraham's faith and commitment to Him. God had asked Abraham to present his son as a sacrifice before Him. I'm sure that at the beginning; Abraham must have been upset with God because of what God wanted him to do but because Abraham's faith was strong; He obeyed God anyway and took Isaac with him.

After preparing the wood for the sacrifice; Abraham tied up Isaac and placed him on the altar. Just as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac; God told Abraham to remove his son from the altar; for He truly knew that Abraham was more committed to obeying Him; rather than the one who meant the most to him, which was his son Isaac.

Are we that committed to God? Can we go through the extremes with Him and come out...proving to Him that we love Him more than anything that's dear to us? Are we willing to sacrifice anything in our lives; that we may remain devoted to Him instead of ourselves? After all; we should be aiming our lives for Heaven...not this earth. There may be times when God has to take us to an extreme; to see if we are completely committed to Him or if we are just speaking words with no meaning. Why do we find ourselves fearing the position God has us in; rather than having faith and trust, that God will work everything out for our good; like He did for Abraham?

We may be facing a dilemma in our lives right now, with decisions that need to be made; but instead of fretting and worrying over the situation, which leaves us nowhere; we need to listen to God's response and obey Him; that we may discover a greater faith in the end...a faith that will connect our hearts to His heart, with a love that reveals complete devotion to Him!

In His Time

Time comes and goes like the waves upon the shores. One moment; time is taking us places, while other moments; time is pulling us away into something new. Time doesn't stand still, so time is something that keeps us progressively moving forward in life. Nothing is ever the same and only with time, will we know what footstep God longs for us to walk in next.

We can become people who sway in the wind, while we move forward one moment and backwards the next; but God has a time for everything in our lives and we will only discover each moment in time, when we are walking side by side with Him. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says..."He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Why are we trying to control time? I believe that when God designed us; He also put a time frame within our lives that would eventually complete the plan, for which He created us to be. When we are taking moments of time and designating what we think God has for us, instead of what He has actually planned for our lives, then we may find ourselves walking off the pathway, onto a detour road, that will only keep us lost and distant from Him.

In the verse above; it's saying that everything is made beautiful in time and even though God has placed eternity within our hearts; we can never fathom what God had planned for us, from beginning to end. Today, as Keith and I were taking our morning walk; we were startled, when 2 deer stood up and leaped over a mound of dirt in front of us. Even though I experienced this beauty today; that doesn't mean that I will experience the same tomorrow because every moment is created for what God destined it to be.

I believe that God has kept the future hidden from us, so that we would always need Him, for every step in life we take. When we are walking with Him; in a way that reveals to Him that we need His help to make it from one moment of time into the next, then He will gradually unveil each moment in time, until He has made everything beautiful within our lives.

Experiencing Anything...

Through a God Who Can Do Everything

Do we truly believe that we can accomplish anything through Christ or are we too busy sizing up the problem; that we find it difficult to believe that Christ can accomplish anything through us? Philippians 4:12-13 says..."I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (13) I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

The thirteenth verse of this reading has always been Keith's and my marriage verse. We have had to walk down some very difficult roads together with God; but we learned that through the great moments of difficulty; God wasn't allowing us to walk through them, as a means of hurting us but instead; He was allowing these moments into our lives, so we could learn how to depend on Him, rather than depend on ourselves.

We can walk through anything in our lives, when we have the Master leading the way. When we say that we can't do this or do that, then we have automatically closed the door of hope and opened up a door that allows Satan to keep us down and out of commission.

Christ didn't say that we could only do certain things with His help...no...He said that we can do ALL THINGS through Him who strengthens us. When we attempt to believe with no confidence attached; then we find that we are only able to accomplish a minimal amount...with a limited amount of strength but when we can see ourselves soaring above the negative thoughts, while gliding on the wings of Christ's strength; then we will find that we can do all things through Him.

Why do we find it easier to believe in the problem; rather than believe in a God who can work through the problem and help us accomplish anything that we need His help with? Do we really know who God is? Do we know that He is the God who holds every resource of hope within His hands? We will never accomplish all that Christ longs to do for us, until we believe in our maker and know 100% that we can get through any problem or accomplish anything that needs to be done, through the greatest strength known to man...the strength of a mighty God!

A Refuge...a Place to Commune with God

As we prepare to begin another new week, we need to remember that Christ will always be there for us...to lift us up and support us through the difficult times. He also wants us to know that He is a place of refuge, where we can be restored and renewed, from the battles we face in this life.

When I looked up the word "refuge" in my Bible dictionary, I found that refuge means..."a shelter of safety or a sanctuary." God longs for us to seek refuge in Him but at the same time, He doesn't want us to remain weak and frail, where we are unable to stand strong for Him. Psalm 18:30 says..."As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

There will be moments in our lives, when we will feel badly bruised and shaken up, from the battles we face from day to day. We may feel tired and drained, from the circumstance that never seems to cease and that is why God has provided a place for us to heal and mend our wounds...a place of refuge, where we can gather under the shelter of His Almighty wings and find peace and rest. Even though God has provided this place for us to hide and be renewed, He doesn't want us to use these moments as a crutch to remain weak but rather, He longs for us to heal and find His strength and restoration.

Once we have been renewed in Him, we will be able to once more face life and even though we have left the shelter of His Almighty wings, we can know, with full assurance that He will always be with us, until the battle ceases to rage no more.

May we take the time we need to be restored in the refuge of a mighty God; that we may once more be able to stand up against the wiles of the devil!

What Words Are Being Formed Through Our Hearts?

Do we understand how our words become the messenger for the heart? Our hearts are either allowing ill feelings to form the language that comes from our mouths or our hearts are discovering a way to see the good through the bad, as words of peace sooths the soul and the souls of those around us.

Matthew 12:34-36 says..."You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. (35) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. (36) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the
Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

We can find ourselves struggling with words of regret; to the place where we become frustrated and agitated. How do we turn our wrongful speech into a tongue that's pleasing to God? We need to realize that we just can't snap our fingers and watch our speech change. The heart becomes the main translator for the words we speak, so we need to take a good look, deep within ourselves and see what part of our heart is becoming the main culprit to the way we respond to others around us. Once we have allowed God to repair the part that has been broken or torn; then our speech will automatically follow.

We need to remember, that our words are either going to lead people to Christ or our speech will put them in a place that becomes even more distant from Him. Our words should reveal a life of commitment to God. When our hearts are in tune with Him, then our words will reveal His presence to others around us.

Walking Away from a Weak Circumstance,

To Focus on a Strong God

Do we find more delight in the things of God or in the things that can take us away from God? Seems like the days are becoming more difficult to live with and only those who are totally committed to God, are going to be able to weather the storms and difficult moments we face on this earth. Psalm 1:1-3 says..."Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. (2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

Do we find ourselves walking in the world's footsteps or in the Savior's footprints? Do we seem to delight in the wrong of the world or in the goodness of a great Savior? Do we find ourselves meditating on everything that goes wrong around us or are we meditating day and night on the presence of God?

The things that go on around us each day can be used by Satan to draw us further away from God. Once Satan has us meditating on hurt that has been wrongfully done to us or people who treat us with a lack of respect or other issues; these moments can continue to be used by Satan, to keep our minds drifting towards the problem, which will only cause our spirits to wither away and become dormant. God wants us to be like green trees that yield fruit in our lives...a tree that keeps producing great things for Him. When we find ourselves caught up in the world and all its problems; then our lives begin to wither away and become unproductive and distant from God.

When we can meditate on God; instead of the problems that surround us, then we will not only grow in our relationship with God; but we will find that whatever we put our hands to do will prosper. As we connect ourselves to God, through a mind that remains focused on Him; then His presence will always bless what we do, as we become fruit bearing people for God.

Leaving Stress behind...To Trust God

Lack of trust can lead us to stress and anxiety...a door that can allow more problems to walk into our lives. Exodus 16:2 says..."In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron." It seemed like nothing was good enough for the Israelites. First of all, God freed them from the many years of bondage and when the moments of rejoicing wore of; they seemed to find something else to complain about, rather than placing their trust in the promises that God had given them.

When we look at the meaning of trust, we find that it means "to place one's confidence in; to hope; that which has been entrusted." What happens when we bury ourselves within a rubble of problems? We find that we have exchanged the peace that God had at one time given us, for anxiety and frustration, which only adds stress to our lives.

When we can trust or find hope in God and know that He will make a way, then we can enjoy a more settled back and relaxed way of life, where all we know within our hearts and minds, is that God is at work and will definitely complete what He has begun.

We can't sit back and say that we are trusting in God; only to turn back to the worries of this life. We are either living with one or the other because good and evil cannot reign within us at the same time. We already know that our lives aren't always going to be a bed of roses. We are going to encounter moments, when we dread the days of pain, heartache and uncertainty but we must remember that our way of handling the problem isn't going to make the problem disappear any quicker. Sometimes, God has us ride the storm out with Him, so we learn to trust Him through the experience. Trust doesn't mean that our problems will go away today; but we will learn with time; to remain humble and open to God's desires, when we place our trust completely in Him.

Our problems can become dark moments of uncertainty, when we don't know what the final outcome will be but that is precisely why we need to trust God. He can see down pathways that seem dark and dismal to us. We can discover a life that is free from stress, once we begin to place our trust in a God that never fails.

Nothing Can Be Hopeless

When the Master Holds the Keys

Nothing can be hopeless, when the Master holds the keys! My husband and I have a prayer list, where we pray for those on our websites, along with other needs in general. One day when I was praying; I came across a prayer request for those in prison. I began to think about how final prison life can seem, even within our own prison walls of despair; until God helped me to understand that even though we may feel imprisoned within our own problems; there is always a way out...no matter what the need may be and it's only through a God that holds the keys that can free us from any problem we may face head on.

God helped me to see that He can take the key and open the heart of a person who feels hopeless, so He can enter in and help them through despair. God holds special keys...keys that become the key of life and these keys can transform and renew a person, until they are made whole again. Revelation 1:17-18 says..."And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not: I am the first and last; I am he that liveth, and was dead: and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death."

After Jesus died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb. While He was there in the tomb; He went into the depths of hell and experienced all that we would endure in this life. When He was finished, He took the keys of hell and of death away from Satan and became victorious over the grave.

There may be times when we feel that we are carrying the heaviest burden. We may feel as though the weight of the burden is lowering us down into a pit of hopelessness. We find that we begin to lock ourselves within the walls of the circumstance, until we just sit hopelessly in a prison of despair.

I am here to tell you...because of my own experiences, that there is hope and a way to be set free from any circumstance that locks us within these prison walls of despair and His name is Jesus Christ.

If you are feeling locked within a prison wall of pain, heartache, depression or any other circumstance; it's time to call out to Jesus; for we do not have to remain within a prison cell with no hope, when He has the key that can unlock our hearts, while exchanging our hopeless circumstance, for His perfect and lasting peace.

A Perfect Peace That Can Calm the Roughest Storm

How is it that we struggle for peace? What is keeping us separated from the perfect peace that can calm the roughest storms in our lives? Isaiah 32:17 says..."The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."

The first part of this verse is telling us that the fruit of righteousness will be peace. When we allow ourselves to remain connected to the God of all righteousness, then what we will harvest from our relationship will be a peace that we can never find here on earth. The effect of our relationship with Christ will cause us to leave anxiety, frustration and turmoil behind; that we may rest in the quietness and confidence that comes from Christ's perfect peace.

In my own life; I don't believe that a person can pray for peace alone; but instead, I believe that peace is something we need to pursue and seek after. When we arise in the morning; are we looking to our Creator for His best or have we already succumb to problems that haven't yet arrived?

We lose out on peace because we allow the day to day problems to reign and rule in Christ's stead. When we not only remain fixed on Christ but continue to keep forming a close relationship with Him, by reading His word and using communication to form a tighter knit relationship with Him, then we will reap from the moments we've sown into our relationship with Christ and the fruit of our labor will be peace.

I pray that we will not only pray for peace in our lives and in the lives of others but that we will take a step forward and pursue a perfect peace that can only come from the Prince of all Peace, which is Jesus Christ!

Watching God at Work with an Amazing Eye

Why do we worry about everything that pertains to life, when we have a God who has everything already under control? God sits within the heavens, as He holds the control stick to our lives that can take us from one event to the next, while we watch with amazement. Do we truly know who God is or do we just know of Him? Genesis 2:4-6 says..."This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens... (5) and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, (6) but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground..."

What an amazing God we serve but why do we find ourselves more entangled within a web of problems; instead of finding ourselves intertwined with God? When we read these verses; we see a time when no shrub or plant of the field had yet appeared. There was no rain or no man to work the soil but yet streams or mist began to come out of the earth, to water the whole surface of the soil. When I read verses like these; I just stand in amazement; of what God has the power to do. Do we see it that way in our life? Do we look for the amazing moves of a powerful God...a God that can blink one eye and cause a star to fall from the sky?

I believe that we would have the faith to see God at work in our own lives, if first; we could slow down and look for His hand at work around us. Science always seems to have an answer for everything now days; but have you ever wondered who causes the wind to blow through the trees? I remember the moment I first began to write. One summer I wrote 60 poems and as I began to sense the presence of God around me; His words began to flow through my thoughts and as I leaned over the deck railing, while peering into the sky; for one quick moment, I felt a heavy wind hit my face and as I stood there; I could not help but feel that it was God's breath...breathing down upon me.

Have we ever wondered how we go from a bright day to a dark night? Could it be that God has pulled the shades down upon the earth, while preparing a new day for us to enter the next morning? Who paints the brilliant sunsets we see in the summertime, with the colors of the rainbow? We know that sunshine and rain help the grass and flowers to grow; but how does a blade of grass grow from something small to something tall? Who opens the flowers from a bud, to display such beauty? Who causes a small bud on a tree to open into a huge leaf and how does the tree know when it's time for its leaves to turn color and fall to the ground? How does all of creation know when it's time to wake up in the spring and go to sleep for the winter? How does the moon know where it should hide until the night sky appears? If we were to take some time and think on these questions; we would find that everything begins with God.

If we could just take and allow God to have the control stick back for our lives, then we would probably stand in amazement; as to all that our God could do for us. Sometimes I think we just need to sit quietly and allow our brains to rest and be refreshed in the thoughts that take us to a powerful God...a God who has the power to produce and become the main source of all our needs!

Turning our Losses into Gain

Are we viewing our lives as something we lose or give up for Christ's sake or are we looking at our lives in the same way the world sees them; only to see loss in our lives as defeat or failure? Matthew 10:39 says..."Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Why do we long for man's approval, when we already have God's love? When we lose someone or something in our life; why do we see it as failure, rather than allowing Christ to exchange our loss, for the best that He can offer us?

We may lose friends in this life or other things that seem so dear to us; but that doesn't mean that Christ doesn't love us. Instead of falling into a pit of despair, over the loss of things and people in our lives; we need to realize that Christ may allow us to lose those things, so we can discover Him through the loss, in a much greater way.

In my own life; I've lost many things due to my health but as I kept walking with Christ, even though the tough times were tough; I discovered that I was getting to know Him in a greater way, then if I would have had life differently. In other words; when we let go of one piece of our self or some other loss in our life and we allow Christ to fill the emptiness with Himself; then in the end we discover that He has become an even greater friend to us than before. It's up to us though; as to how we handle our losses. We can either see them as a continual failure or we can allow God's presence to enter the emptiness and fill us with a peace that allows our spirits to know that Christ has become even more alive within our spirits.

Life isn't always easy and there will be times when we experience loss; whether it is the loss of something in our lives or the loss of a person who walks away from us. We need to have the attitude, that when someone walks away, then we need to allow Christ to walk into our lives even more. When we continually lose good health or some other thing in our lives; we need to allow God to replace those things with His gifts of perfect love and peace. Loss isn't about failure; instead, it's about letting go, so God can become greater.

There is a Place to Begin Again

When I first began my journey with God many years back; I was given a cassette tape of a beautiful song, just before my first surgery. I must have only been 10 years old but the song has remained in my heart over the years. Some of the song goes like this..."There is a place to begin again; where everything becomes new. There is a place where you'll always have a friend; Jesus is the One who purchased life for you...life for you. Come with me to a lonely hill; bring all the worst of your sin. Now ask Jesus, your life to fill and you've found the place of beginning again."

We can experience days when everything seems to go crazy and sometimes the days continue on into weeks; but throughout the years of my journey with God; I've found that there is always a place to begin again...a place where God makes all things new...a place where we don't have to hang on to the unwanted baggage in our lives.

All that Jesus asks...is that we take a trip back with Him to Mount Calvary...a place where we can empty out the feelings that are trying to take hold of our hearts and souls...a place where He can nail everything that is weighing our spirits down to His cross. Once we have been emptied out and renewed; He will fill the empty places, where sin, frustration, anxiety and confusion once reigned and we will be able to find a new place to begin again.

Satan not only longs to weaken us as Christians but his plan is to enhance the suffering, so that we fall into a pit of hopelessness, where all we can see is darkness; but as long as Christ exists, there will always be a place where we can put everything behind us and begin anew. When we can live with this kind of hope, then we will always have the strength we need to keep pressing on.

I pray that we will not wallow in the pit of hopelessness today but that we will stand to our feet and allow Christ to fill our spirits with Himself; that we may once more be able to move on and begin with renewed hope!

A Mighty Anchor

Is our anchor secure, upon the rock of Jesus Christ? Do we know that if a storm was to arise, that we are secure and safe in Him? Hebrews 6:18-19a says..."God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. (19a) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

Jesus becomes the strong rock of truth, that helps us to remain anchored firmly and securely within the soul. He is a god that stands for truth, so we can be secure in the promises He gives us...that He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we look at our lives, do we see ourselves anchored securely to the rock of Jesus Christ? If a strong storm was about to arise, do we know that we have a refuge with Jesus that will keep us from drifting aimlessly out to sea? When we turn to the storm, we find that we are barely hanging onto Jesus, and we find that the storm becomes too fierce for us to handle alone, which will only allow us to feel out of control. Jesus has already provided the way. He's become the solid rock we can hold to each day; but it's up to us, as to whether we find ourselves safe and secure in Him or barely hanging on, while we suffer needlessly with the storm.

Whether we are facing difficult moments in our lives right now or not; we need a firm rock to anchor to...a rock that will keep us steady and secure, until the storms of life passes by.

May we examine our lives today, to make sure that we are completely anchored to the rock of Jesus Christ...the rock that can keep us steady and safe from the storms of this life!

A Race of Endurance

The days we are living in can sometimes create overwhelming circumstances in our lives that bring about moments of despair...a despair that tries to convince us to give up. Do we really know how important it is to have endurance and strength from God? Satan seems to be busy...setting out traps that will put us in a place of weakness, so we can't continue to run the race that's before us; but when we can find a reason through Christ to continue on, then we can become triumphant through Him, instead of wallowing in defeat. In Romans 15:4, it reads..."For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Everything that God allows within our lives is never a waste; but instead, He allows afflictions to enter our lives for a reason. When we read stories of Abraham and Sarah or Joseph or others in the Bible; we see that none of their lives became a waste; but instead, they became a living testimony of hope, through moments of endurance. When we see what they endured and how God brought them through each trying moment; we too can find renewed hope...to live with endurance and continue on. The only hope we can find, is when we use our afflictions, instead of allowing them to bury us in rubble of despair. In order that we may find a place of hope; we need to use words of encouragement from God's word, as tools, along with the endurance that can only come directly from Christ.

Enduring moments of pain, loneliness, hardship or any other affliction isn't always easy but when we can endure these moments; we are becoming more like Christ...for He became the first example of endurance, when He endured long hours of pain and agony on the cross; that His Father may be seen to a world in need.

We may be facing some difficult decisions today or we may be facing loneliness, grief or pain. No matter what the need; with Christ's help, we can run this race with endurance and with God's added strength; we can leap above despair and find His loving arms, in place of affliction!

I pray that we won't give up and give in to the battles that are before us; but that we may endure, as strengthened soldiers, in a Mighty Army of God!

God Understands

We all seem to have days from time to time, when we feel discouraged and we wonder if we have become distant from God. We feel as though an ingredient is missing in our relationship with Christ. Could it be that we have grown weary and tired from walking down too many difficult pathways lately? Hebrews 12:3 says..."Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

When we are facing discouraging moments in our lives, we need to take a look at all of those who fought the good fight before us. Many in the Bible went through even more difficult moments than we will ever endure but they remained faithful to God. I'm sure that they had their moments, when they became discouraged and felt like quitting but they kept their eyes focused on the prize and they made it. We can be encouraged today, when we read stories like Joseph, Jeremiah, Job, Peter and Paul, etc... These people became an example that told us a story...a story of determination and strength that can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Moments of pain and heartache can sometimes create a picture of its own...a picture that only looks drab, dark and dreary but when we can include Christ into the picture, then the light of His presence can break through the darkness and display a whole new outlook on life.

I was recently singing..."Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." Sometimes I think we just need to take a little time and refocus our sight on the One who can bring light and life back to us. We need to regroup, slow down...take a deep breath and allow God to give us a new beginning; that the things of this world that brought us low, will begin to fade out; that we may once more experience the fullness of God's presence.

Steps That Walk Us Away From Needless Suffering

Lately, have we found it difficult to see the steps that Christ lays out for us each day? Do we feel as though our days can be compared with being lost in a wilderness, while we cry out continually for His help? Jeremiah 10:23 says..."I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps."

Tonight, as I was getting around for the evening; I was thinking quietly to myself about the steps that Christ lays out for us each day...steps that can only lead us in the direction, to where He wants us to journey for these specific moments in time. We know that when we follow the steps He has chosen for us; that we will not only experience His presence throughout the day but His steps will keep us distant from evil and the things in this life that can take us down into deep despair.

What can cause us to lose sight of the steps He has prepared for us? We can be going through a day, while we allow His hand to lead us from one step into the next and just by one bad decision or choice; we can find ourselves on the last step, while the steps ahead of us begin to fade out of view.

When we lose sight of Christ and choose to follow the man-made steps that we feel will be the best route; then we find that we have to keep creating our own steps, so we can keep moving forward. It's only at the time, when we discover that our steps only take us in circles; that we cry out to Jesus...realizing that we can't make it without His help and guidance.

We need to realize, that when we turn our lives over to Christ, that our lives no longer become our own. Even though we made our own decisions and our own footsteps at one time; we need to turn away from those bad habits and begin to form new habits that will cause us to look for the steps that will lead us in the right direction...the direction that will allow us to walk hand in hand, in a relationship with Christ; that we may know His will for our lives at all times.

Joy in the Morning

We all have days, when we are tired of pain, tears and heartache. Sometimes we wonder if we can go another mile, when our minds and bodies are drained from everything we go through from one day into the next.

Our moments of pain and heartache can become like a night that never turns to day but we have something to hold too...that there will come a day, when Christ will wipe the final tear from our eyes and the things we experience today will be erased, as they become a former thing of the past. Revelation 21:4 says..."He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

We may weep for the moment; but joy will definitely come in the morning, for those who believe in Christ. Our moments of trial can slow our steps or even bring them to a halt; but these moments of weeping, pain and heartache are only controlling our steps because we are allowing them to dictate the way we walk with God...by the way we think. If we tell ourselves that we can't make it another step, then we won't. It's as if our pain and heartache is dictating a message to the brain that the body and mind aren't able to cope, so we take the message that the brain is sending us and we believe the words it speaks and this is why we want to give up.

We need to remember that even though we have moments of tears and pain right now, that these moments are only going to endure for a night or a season. For those who hold on to God's hand, while weathering the storm; Christ will walk us into a time of joy and celebration in Heaven, where He will bend down and wipe the last tear that falls from our face. This verse is a reminder, that there will come a day, when there will never be a time of death, mourning, crying or pain, for these will pass away, as we pass from this life, to a brand new life with Christ. The light of His presence will always keep our pathway lit and darkness will be a thing of the past.

No matter what we may be going through at this moment...just remember that joy will come in the morning; for this is only a short night but the morning will lead us to a place, where Christ will hold us in His loving arms, as He wipes the final tear away, for all of eternity!

Viewing Rejection through Christ's Eye

Jesus Christ has faced many moments of rejection and even to this day, He has always remained undefeated in His Father's eye. Jesus left the thoughts that could have crippled Him behind, so He could continue to share His Father's love with us...a love that's eternal. Instead of allowing His feelings to control His journey to the cross; Jesus reflected even more on what He felt within His own heart, which was a genuine love that far outweighed any pain, suffering or moments of rejection. John 12:25 says..."The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

As Christians, our lives shouldn't be fashioned after the world in any way. We need to understand that we have been given choices in life...choices to accept the hurt and rejection that can keep us down and out of commission or the choice to keep pressing on towards a greater goal, which is to discover the love of God in our lives...a love that will never leave us or forsake us. Our moments of rejection only become stumbling blocks that keep us down and out, so we can't continue to follow the pathway that God has chosen for us to follow.

The verse above is sending us a message; that a man who loves this world or conforms himself to the ways of this world, will only lose his life in the end. We need to allow the petty things of this world to pass us by, that we may leave this world behind with them, so in the end we can continue to press on, to a new life with God, that will eventually lead us to life eternal.

God didn't just ask us to turn our lives over to Him; but instead, He asked us to take the "Christianity Sign" off of our forehead and allow our lives to climb to a place where we could truly know and discover the depth of God's love and desires for our lives.

When we allow the weight of rejection to keep us down, then we will never discover the life that God intended for us to live. When we come to discover that rejection can be a way of sharing in the sufferings of Christ, then we will begin to see rejection through Christ's eye, which will help us to rise above a worldly way of thinking, so we can discover a peace that only comes from God!

My Redeemer Lives

Do we truly know that our Redeemer lives? Do we react to our circumstances, in a way that reminds us and reveals to others, that we have a God or a Redeemer that is working for our good? Job 19:25-26 says..."I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. (26) And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God."

Tonight, I looked up the word "Redeemer" and this is what I found..."To rescue and deliver from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God's violated law." I think of Christ, as not only the God who died for all sin; but also a God that can rescue us, even when we fall into the clutches of sin and despair; but how are we going to be able to acknowledge His presence as our Redeemer, if first, we don't allow ourselves to experience His mighty hand at work in our lives, as Job did? In these verses, Job is acknowledging that His redeemer lives! In other words, Job is proclaiming what he knows, by what he has experienced with God. Job is even acknowledging in verse 26, that even if he was to die, that he would never be removed from the presence of his God. This is the kind of hope we should have each day!

I have a song, which has always been a favorite of mine and it's titled..."Redeemer" and this is how the lyrics read..."Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning? And who told the ocean you can only come this far? And who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening? Whose words alone can catch a falling star? Well I know my Redeemer lives I know my Redeemer lives: let all creation testify; let this life within me cry I know my Redeemer lives. The very same God that spins things in orbit runs to the weary, the worn and the weak and the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken; they conquered death to bring me victory. Now I know my Redeemer lives...I know my Redeemer lives; let all creation testify...let this life within me cry I know my Redeemer, He lives; to take away my shame and He lives forever, I'll proclaim; that the payment for my sin...was the precious life He gave but now He's alive and there's an empty grave. And I know my Redeemer lives I know my Redeemer lives; let all creation testify; let this life within me cry I know my Redeemer lives."

Do we truly know that our redeemer lives? Do we see Him as a powerful God?...a God that can tell the sun just where to stand, when it rises in the morning...a God who can hide the moon during the day, until nightfall...a God that told the ocean that it could only come so far, as to not flood the earth...a God who just speaks one word and a star falls from the sky...a God who allows the trees to bow before Him and praise Him, with one breath of His presence...a God that can cause the stars to twinkle in a dance before Him?

Life's struggles can cause us to forget the greatness, of a mighty Redeemer. Our minds seem to walk with the problem, instead of flowing with a mighty, powerful God. If we could just find time to slow down in life and dwell more on the power and presence of a mighty Redeemer, instead of the problems before us, then we would find that we would experience more peace in our lives...a peace that will allow us to remain connected with the greatest God...our Redeemer!

Putting Despair in its Place

Can anything in our lives, rise above the power of a mighty God? If not, then why do we allow a moment of trial to take us above God's power, rather than allow His power to lift us up above despair? Romans 8:38-39 says..."For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A moment of weakness can reveal itself as something strong and powerful; to the place where we begin to believe that our trial is greater than anything...including Jesus sometimes. Thinking in this way doesn't become intentional; but instead, we become so deeply focused on what we are going through, that our sight begins to leave the power of Christ behind, while we continue to look more deeply into the problem that's upsetting us.

If we were to stop and think more rationally, we would come to realize that nothing can supersede Christ. Death, life, and demons can all represent power; but yet their power isn't great enough to remove us from the loving hand of God, when we know Him as our Lord and Savior. Once we accept Jesus to come and live within our hearts, nothing can remove us from the love of Christ...even our present circumstance.

The overwhelming moments we face from time to time can try to dictate us and tell us a different story...a story of defeat...a story that tells us that Christ isn't there for us anymore or a story that reveals a fall; but even these moments can never be powerful enough to pull us away from God's love.

We need to remember that Jesus paid the price for sin and failure and through His love; we are brought back to Him...a Christ who's reaching out to us, with loving arms of compassion and mercy.

These verses should become our attitude towards sin, failure and weakness. We should be able to say..."For I am convinced...that nothing will be able to ever separate me from the love of God, in Christ Jesus my Lord!" May we always be reminded that our God is not a god of condemnation; but a God of love and mercy!

Faith and Obedience...

Cures for a Wounded Spirit

Have you ever wondered why God doesn't always remove the barriers or obstacles in our lives all at once? Why do we have to go through a long and drawn out trial, when the most powerful God could just reach down and remove the circumstance from our lives? We pray and pray but yet we have moments, when we feel as though God has forgotten our needs or walked away from us...what is going on? Judges 3:1-4 says..."These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (2) (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): (3) the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. (4) They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord's commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses."

In these verses...God left the enemy in the land with the Israelites because they had failed to obey God and drive out the enemy. Even though God allowed the enemy to remain for a reason; He still had His watchful eye on the Israelites. This became a time of testing...a time when the Lord was using this battle, to get the Israelites attention, so that they would follow after God and obey Him; rather than go their own way.

Just as God allowed the enemy to remain with the Israelites, as a means of teaching them to follow after their God; there may be times when God allows an obstacle to remain in our way for a while, as a means of testing our faith and obedience to Him too.

I believe that God longs for our faith and our moments of obedience to become something that's used in our lives and not just talked about. There may be times when God allows the trial to remain a little while longer, until He not only sees our faith and obedience in action but also etched upon our hearts. Faith and obedience in Christ should be something that we can reflect on, during other difficult moments in our lives; so if we aren't allowing our faith and obedience in Christ to grow and become a part of us, then the obstacle may have to remain a bit longer, until Christ sees that our faith and obedience to Him, have become a part of us...something that will linger and continue to grow deep within us.

No matter what we may be facing today...no matter how long the obstacles have stood before us; God isn't using these moments of trial to condemn us or turn His face away from us; but instead, He is allowing them to remain for a while, out of great love for us...a love that longs to see us become more like Him.

A Power that Remains Greater than Evil

Even through a brutal death on the cross; Jesus became strength to us, as He took the sins of the entire world upon His shoulders. Jesus never was beaten and crucified, as though one man was dying for His own sins; but instead, the beatings and the time of the crucifixion became so harsh, as each blow of the whip revealed a sacrificial death for all mankind.

Even though Jesus died such a horrible death; He no longer remains in the grave, for "Jesus is the Risen Savior for all People!" Matthew 28:1-6 says..."After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (2) There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. (3) His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. (4) The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (5) The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. (6) He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."

We see a time, when it first seemed as though Satan was doing everything in his power to defeat Christ. Even though this was a time, when God's will was being accomplished, through His Son Jesus Christ; there must have been moments when Satan tried to take control over the soldiers minds, as they flogged and mistreated Jesus; but even though Satan tried everything in his power to succeed...he couldn't because the power of Christ was now being revealed to all men, as the stone began to roll away from the tomb, where Jesus had been laid. Death or no other thing could hold back the most powerful being...Jesus Christ. This is truly the hope we have to live for today...for Jesus is no longer dead within the grave.

No matter what we may face this week; we have the reassurance that a risen Savior is watching over us. As Jesus ascends into the heavens, some of His final words are quoted in Matthew 28:20b, which says..."And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." We not only have a risen Savior but a Savior who is with us every moment of every day and He will always remain there with us, until the last second that we reside on this earth. He's alive and He reigns within the hearts of those who believe in Him. One question we need to ask ourselves though is this..."Why are we living with despair, as though Jesus is still in the grave?"

Here is a god that not only defeated the power of evil through the cross; but He also defeated death itself. Our lives should reveal to the world, that Christ is alive and at work within each of our lives. Are we serving a risen Savior today or have we kept Him in the grave, while we wallow and fall prey to our problems and circumstances?

I pray that as we begin a new day, that we will serve a Savior that is no longer dead within the tomb; but instead, a Savior that is alive and filled with great power. If Jesus defeated evil at the cross; He surely has the power to defeat evil within our lives! May God truly bless you and may you find His very best each day!

Triumphant Over Evil

When Jesus was in the tomb...He wasn't just lying in the grave; but instead...these moments became a time when He entered the gates of hell; to snatch the keys of death and hell from Satan. Revelation 1:18 says..."I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

I can't imagine what it was like before the cross...a time when evil had more control then even now...a time when people would offer a perfect lamb, without spot or blemish, to be sacrificed for their sins. The keys that Satan once held tightly to; kept people locked within prison cells of despair; until Jesus walked through the gates of hell, and snatched them from the hands of evil.

We may live with past sins and mistakes; but even though we sin; we have a new hope...a hope that first began at the time of the cross. For Jesus now has full control; for He holds the keys that can free us and create new lives...lives that can exchange despair, for hope and peace.

We no longer have to face each day in a prison cell with no hope because Jesus is standing on the other side of the prison door; just waiting to put the key in the lock...the key that can open the door and free us from the hand of evil.

Even though we strive for a perfect life; we will never live perfect lives here on earth because we live in an imperfect world; but yet we still live with renewed hope each day because Jesus is the One who has control and holds the keys that can keep us free from death and hell!

A Satisfying Savior

What a day; to stop and reminisce back to a time, when an innocent death took place...out of love for you and me...a death that made "Jesus, the Savior of the World." I John 4:13-14 says..."We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. (14) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world."

What power we feel, when we think of "Jesus, as the Savior of the World!" Tonight, as I looked up the meaning of "Savior" in my Bible, this is what I found..."one who delivers from trouble, sin, or judgment, which refers to Jesus Christ." When we think of Jesus as the Savior of the world; we think of a god, who walked beyond our faults; just so He could see the need of our hearts...a need that lead Him to a brutal cross; to become the Savior or deliverer of all our sins. He didn't have to go to the cross and I'm sure the temptations were overpowering at times, as Satan tried to stop Him; but His love for us outweighed any amount of pain and suffering that He would endure.

I don't see Jesus' cross as any other ordinary cross that others were crucified on...no, I see a cross, that became a sacrificial alter, where the lamb of God would become the complete sacrifice for all man.

As we step back in time, to a hill, where 3 men died; we see 2 men, on each side of Jesus that deserved to die for their crimes but in the middle; we see a death that stands out from other crucifixion's...the death of an innocent man...the death that became something quite different and out of the ordinary...a death that was innocent and pure; that we may have the peace that comes through forgiveness and great love.

No matter what we have done in our lives; God doesn't see our mistakes and sins the way we do. He is coming to us today and He's walking beyond our faults, so He can seek out the need of our hearts and that need is love and forgiveness.

Tonight...before writing; I was singing a song that goes like this..."Hallelujah, I have found thee; whom my soul, so long has craved. Jesus satisfies my longings and through His blood I now am saved." We don't have to keep searching for other means, to satisfy a thirsty soul; for Jesus will satisfy every longing deep within us and through His blood...the blood that flowed from Calvary; we have the assurance, that He is a Savior that will exchange our moments of sin and turmoil, for His perfect, loving and forgiving peace!

Jesus our Everything

As I was thumbing through the Bible early this evening; I thought that a great way to relate to Jesus Christ would be to discuss Him as..."Jesus, Our Everything." John 14:6 says..."Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Whenever I read this verse; I think of this verse, as Jesus being rolled up into one thing...our everything. First, He becomes the only way that leads us to Him. Second of all...He is the truth that keeps us free and finally...He is the life that gives us new life.

These 3 benefits that Jesus offers us, will keep us pressing on with Him, especially during the tough times. When we have peace and know the way or direction we're supposed to go, then we will never have doubts or fears or any other uncertainties. When we have His words of truth to hold to, then we will always be set free from the deceptive lies that come from Satan and when we accept His gift of new life, then we can leave the past behind, as we aim our lives towards an eternity with Jesus.

We don't need any other attachment to our lives, other than these 3 benefits, which Jesus so freely offers us. Life can be difficult enough, without always thinking about how to get through this or accomplish that. If we can know the way, experience His truth and find a new life in Him, then we have it all!

I pray that we will come to experience the gift that Jesus offers us...a free gift that will direct our steps...teach us His truth...and give us new life!

Jesus...the Bright and Morning Star

For our discussion today; I have chosen..."Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star." Revelation 22:16 says..." I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." Interestingly enough...I discovered tonight, as I was studying this verse, that Jesus, as the "Root", is the beginning of all things but Jesus as the "Offspring of David," is really in the line or lineage of David because of the time of His birth. Jesus, as the "Morning Star;" represents the light of the world or the light of salvation.

Tonight, as we think about Jesus, as the "Morning Star;" we think of a bright light, that illuminates all darkness...a light that allows truth to be seen, instead of a deceiving lie...a light that can uncover what is hidden from us, so that we can discern righteousness from unrighteousness...a light that can become protection to us, while walking through the valley of the shadow of death.

When we go through pain and heartache; we can feel as though darkness completely surrounds us, like a thick dark fog; but when we cry out to God for help; He shines His light down upon us, until all darkness is brought to light. This is the hope we find, when we think of Jesus Christ, as our bright and morning star. Just because we fall into places of dark despair; doesn't mean that we have to remain there. God gives us choices every day and the right choice can only be discovered, by the right response. We can either choose to give in to the darkness or we can reach up to Jesus and allow His bright light of hope to shine around us and within us.

Jesus...the Chief Cornerstone

Our topic for today is..."Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone." Isaiah 28:16 says..."So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."

What does the word "cornerstone" really mean? The dictionary says..."the stone which lies at the corner of two walls, and unites them; the principal stone; that which is of fundamental importance or indispensable; "so in other words, it's the foundation stone, which unites one side of the building to the other. If there was no cornerstone, then the foundation wouldn't be stable enough to hold the building in place. In a similar way...Jesus becomes our "precious cornerstone for a sure foundation"...a foundation that unites us with Him...a foundation, in which we can build our lives upon...a foundation that won't cause us to waver or fall; but instead, will hold us up and steady us through life.

Are we allowing Christ to become the sure foundation for our lives or are we trying to build our lives on man-made ideas and desires? If we are trying to build our lives upon a homemade foundation...created by ourselves, then we are headed for a fall. We need a foundation that will hold us up during the tough times and will keep us strong and sturdy, during the storms of this life.

No matter what we may be experiencing in life right now; Jesus can be that cornerstone in our lives...a foundation that will become strength to us, when we feel like we can't stand on our own. He will become the stone that unites us with Him and as one; we can continue to press on, no matter what may come our way.

Jesus...a Man Who Understands Sorrow

For today's study on Jesus Christ; I thought that we would discuss "Jesus...as a man of sorrows." Isaiah 53:3 says..."He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Jesus is the One we can relate to when we are going through difficult moments of pain and heartache. At the time of the cross; Jesus actually became the man of sorrows...the One who was despised and rejected by man and very familiar with suffering. He went through a depth of suffering, that we may never fully fathom but on the other hand; He was so well acquainted with suffering and grief; that these became the moments, that allowed Him to have a heart of care and understanding for us today.

As Easter is approaching...movies are starting to be aired on TV; depicting the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether we watch a movie or read God's word; we see a man who at one time was loved by man; but only moments later, He became the man of an innocent death. He not only went through the pain and agony of the cross but He also learned the meaning of rejection, as those who once followed Him, were now despising Him and rejecting Him.

I can't even begin to understand what it felt like, to be spit upon and whipped, while walking a pathway that was completely filled with rejection; but Jesus knows. He can see the heart of a person who is tired of life, with all of its moments of pain and heartache and He's more than able to say..."I understand."

No matter what we are facing in life...Jesus understands and cares so much for us! Instead of allowing the feelings of pain and heartache to take over and rule Him at the time of the cross; His heart of love for us, is what kept Him walking every painful step towards the cross. Let that same love He had for you at the cross become comfort and strength to you today!

Jesus...a Wonderful Counselor

As we approach a brand new week; I thought that we would discuss "Jesus...a Wonderful Counselor." Isaiah 9:6 says..."For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace." This verse can pertain to several characteristics of Christ; but the one we will be discussing, is "Wonderful Counselor."

Jesus Christ has always remained faithful to His people; even while dying an innocent death. His love for us was so much greater, than the brutal death He suffered at the cross. He has become so many different things to us; but the one that has meant the most to me, throughout a lifetime of pain and heartache, is "Wonderful Counselor."

No matter how much pain and agony Christ suffered in His lifetime; to this very day, He still seeks us out, with arms opened wide...ready to catch every tear that may fall, while He holds us within His loving arms.

In this world we live in; we may meet people who grow tired of us. They may walk away because they can't handle the pain and heartache in our lives; so because of this, we experience the painful moments of rejection. One thing we need to remember is that Jesus is a god that will always be there for us. When there's a holiday; His arms still remain open to us...when the sun has set and another day is done; His presence still shines within the darkness of our room....when the weekend comes; He remains open to the cries of our hearts.

I remember many times in my own life, when I longed for someone to fill the emptiness, of the many things that had been stripped from my life. It may have taken some time but Jesus never gave up on me. He kept knocking on my heart every day and through the lonely night hours, until I was ready to open the door and trust Him to help me. He is a counselor that will listen; no matter how long we may need His help and He will be there to catch each tear, until we're ready for Him to wipe the last one away.

No matter how many people walk out of our lives; Jesus longs to be a friend...a friend that will never hurt us or abandon us. He longs to walk into our lives and fill the emptiness with His presence; that we may no longer feel like we have to handle life alone. Jesus will pull up a chair within our heart and speak to our spirits; in a way that will help us to know Him as a true counselor.

Jesus...the Bread of Life

Today's study will be on "Jesus, as the Bread of Life." John 6:35 says..."Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." In this reading; Jesus is being referred to as the bread of life....the One who can satisfy the hunger of our soul.

In a physical sense...when we are hungry or thirsty; we go to our cupboard and refrigerator and look for something to eat and drink. Once we have eaten and had something to drink, then we no longer remain hungry or thirsty. Jesus says that if anyone will believe in Him, they will never go hungry or thirst again. In other words; Jesus will always be the One to satisfy the needs of the heart. The only One that can fill the empty voids within our lives and make us complete.

In this world we live in; there are people who go hungry and thirsty every day. People seem to be finding it difficult to make ends meet and even though their need for physical food and drink isn't always met; there is a god that can satisfy the need of the heart...a god that can replace weakness for strength...fear for peace...heartache for love...a god that can fill the emptiness...a god that is the complete "Bread of Life"...the One who can satisfy our lives, so we never hunger or thirst again.

I pray that when we have a hunger pain, deep within our soul and a thirst to find hope; that we will turn to the One who holds all the answers..."Jesus...the Bread of Life."

Jesus...the Author and Perfecter of Faith

Jesus Christ is "Jesus...the Author and Perfecter of our Faith." Hebrews 12:2 says..."Let us fix our eyes on Jesus; the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I found an interesting meaning of the word "author" and this is what I discovered..."The beginner, former, or first mover of anything; hence, the efficient cause of a thing; a creator; an originator." If we were to think on the meaning we just read; Jesus Christ was the creator of the word "faith." His faith is what sustained Him and allowed Him to walk the painful steps to the cross. He walked in the steps of faith; that we may have the road paved for us to follow His lead.

Jesus' faith was placed into perfection, when He overcame evil, while rising from the dead and sitting at the right hand of the throne of His Father. No matter how many times He felt rejected and alone; His love for us allowed His faith to remain strong and firm. In other words; Jesus became the originator of faith.

Here is a god, that experienced ridicule and hatred, when only moments earlier, the people longed to touch Him and be healed. He not only became the example of true faith but He also revealed to us, through the meaning of real love.

We may go through trying moments in our lives; but nothing that will ever compare to what Jesus went through for us. If He could walk a very difficult road to the cross; while making the way of faith, clear enough for us to follow, then where is our faith?

Jesus became the "author" of faith...the One who etched it upon each of our hearts, as He died a brutal death, as a means of revealing great love for His children. Does our faith reveal to Him, that we are ready to receive the stamp of perfection...the stamp that says that we have overcome great trials, with great love and perfect faith?

A Sealed Heart Keeps Evil Out

Do we feel prone to wander away from God, due to a circumstance in our life? As I was getting around for the evening, God was placing a song upon my heart and a little of it goes like this..."Here's my mount, I'm fixed upon it; mount of thy redeeming love. Here's my heart; Oh take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above. Prone to wander, Lord I feel it...prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Oh take and seal it...seal it for thy courts above."

How many times do we listen to the depth of each word that has been written in a song? Do we get so caught up in the melody of a song or do our minds wander, to the place where we miss the message that comes from each word? I can just imagine what the writer of this song was feeling, as he put each word into place.

First, he's talking about a "mount"...a place where he is fixed upon the redeeming love of God...a place that's a sure foundation...where he cannot be moved. As he goes on...he's asking God to take his heart and seal it, only for the things of God. Whenever I listen to these words, I think about something that is sealed airtight, so that nothing can spoil the good that's inside. From there, the writer of this song is admitting that he has times, when he is prone to wander off and leave the God he loves, so once again, he's asking God to make sure that every part of his heart is sealed off to the evil that would try to take him away from his God.

When facing a problem in our lives, do we do the same? Do we run to God and say...quickly God...seal out the evil that can creep in and take me away from You? Do we find that we are more fixed on our problems or on the mount of God's redeeming love? We may experience a day, when the weight of the world seems to be bringing us down or the pain is just too hard to bear or the grief we're experiencing brings us to an all-time low. No matter what we are going through...no matter how difficult it may seem, all we need to do is run to God and say...Lord, have my whole heart and seal it, so it's only filled with your presence.

Chosen by God

Do we realize the depth of God's love for us? Do we see Him as someone who truly cares...a God who loved us so much, that He chose us first? Have we allowed Christianity to become more of a title, then a personal relationship with God? John 15:16 says..."You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit...fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

How many times do we sit and think that God was the One who chose us first? Wow! That's a lot of love! Through love...He became the One who actually asked us, if we would want Him to move into our hearts and from there, the choice was given back to us, as to whether He would live within our hearts or not. Do we stop to think...that without His choice, we wouldn't have any choice to make?

Once we accept Him to come and live within our hearts, a relationship should begin to form...a time when we share a close relationship with our new found friend. When we don't form a bond with Christ, then we are allowing God to live dormant within our hearts.

We need to remember, that a relationship isn't one sided either. As we choose to love and serve God, through whatever way He has chosen for us, then in return, the Father will give to us, in the way He feels we need it the most.

Our moments of circumstance can be lonely moments...moments when others walk away and choose to abandon us; but when we have a two sided relationship forming with God, then we find that a purpose has once more sprung up within us...a purpose to use our afflictions for Him...no matter what that may be. From there, we will begin to feel the loving hand of God at work in our lives...the hand that reached down and chose us first.

Paying God a Visit

As we approach another new week; we must ask ourselves one question..."How often do we pay God a visit?" We've asked Him to come and reside within our hearts but is the greatest God of this universe sitting alone, while we turn inwardly or to other sources for help? I Kings 8:27 says..."But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

Solomon was a great man of wisdom. He received his wisdom, after becoming king, just after the passing of his father, David. God's desire for Solomon was to build a great temple, to house the Ark of the Covenant; that this place may become the temple of the Lord. In the verse above...Solomon is praying a prayer of dedication and as he's praying, he's beginning to experience the depth of a mighty God, while he wonders if God can really dwell on earth, when the heavens cannot even contain His presence.

Here is a God that is so big and so great...a God that cannot even be contained within Heaven itself; but yet He is willing to reach down and offer to live within our meek and humble hearts. We could not even experience that kind of love in this world today. Anymore...men of high esteem will not even give a middle class person the time of day; let alone long to be there for them.

When I was going through some of the darkest moments of my life; I used to think about God in this way...here is a God that doesn't have to love us; but holds so much love, that He not only died for our sins but longs to live within our hearts...a God that is willing to pull up a chair, where He resides within us, while we speak our every hurting word before Him. All we have to do is look within ourselves for His presence. If we will only knock on the door...He will answer and He will allow us to sit with Him, while He listens to our every word.

When was the last time we allowed God to pull up a chair within our hearts, so we could spend some time with Him? When we can begin a new day and a new week with God, then we will find that He is not only there for our needs but He will be with us throughout the day. When we can talk with God; even before beginning a new day, then we will find that we remain connected to His presence until our day is done.

God Is Equipped to Handle Our Lives

When we lack trust in God; we not only find ourselves more distant from God but we also find that we have more problems, than what we first began with. Numbers 14:34 says..."For forty years...one year for each of the forty days you explored the land...you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you."

During the time of Moses...the children of Israel continued to lose trust in God. It seemed that no matter how many times they saw the hand of God at work; they either forgot about His mighty power or they became so focused on what they lacked or desired that they lost complete trust in what God could do for them. Instead of placing their trust in the true and living God, during these uncertain moments; they continued to gripe and complain, until they finally turned their backs completely away from God and built a golden idol that eventually became their god, while Moses was on Mt. Sinai. God's judgment became fierce because of their sins and so the people ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years.

This is a prime example of what can happen, when we lose our trust in God. We can start out with a rock of circumstance and because we fail to trust God; the rock becomes a mountain of problems. For each time that we try to make life work on our own; instead of allowing ourselves to see the circumstance fade away with God's help; we find that through our own desires; we have brought about more problems, until we become overwhelmed.

We need to remember that God is the only One who knows how to fix what's been broken and lead us away from evil. If we can't even begin to know the direction we're supposed to take in life, then what makes us think that we know how to fix the problems we face? We can end up in such a tangled web of problems, that before we know it; we find ourselves so lost and alone, while we beg for God's help. Whether we like to admit it or not; God may allow us to remain within our mistakes, as He slowly rescues us from these moments of despair, as a means of teaching us to keep our focus and trust on Him.

No matter what we're going through at this moment, we need to remind ourselves that we aren't equipped, like an all knowing God. When we accepted Jesus into our lives, we also asked Him to take charge and in His mighty and loving hands, is where our needs should remain.

Exchanging Compliant for a Heart of Praise

Tonight, I thought we would just leave all of our problems behind and concentrate on the power of a mighty God. How often do we exchange our complaints for a heart of praise that can reach the heavens? Psalm 68:34-35 says..."Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. (35) You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!"

Today, I took some much needed time off and went with Keith and Jack (our dog) for a beautiful sunny walk. The air blew a refreshing breeze upon my face and the sun felt as though God Himself was shining down upon us. When I was able to stop the thoughts of my work for a moment; I began to look around me, as if I was seeing all of creation for the first time. The hills stood boldly before me, as though God Himself had painted the backdrop, especially for our walk and the wildflowers were just beginning to wake up from a long winters nap. The music that rang through the pine trees; was as if God's breath was falling down upon me and there were robins everywhere, as though they had just come out to sing their first song of spring to us. The rabbits were hopping through the woods, as though they had awakened to a day that was full of praise, while the deer were standing, enjoying the green grass that God had provided for them. All of creation seemed to be praising God in their own way, as they had awakened to a brand new day!

Do we ever stop and just take in the sounds of creation? If we were to do this; we would experience the power of a mighty God at work! Do we ever take the time to see the stars at night, as they dance in the sky? Do we ever look at a sunset or sunrise and wonder if God painted the sky just for us to view? Do we listen for the songs that each bird sings to their creator? These are the moments we need to experience...the moments when we can leave our burdens with God, while we experience the renewal of God's sustaining strength...a God that controls all of creation with just one thought.

Yes...we may still experience the difficult moments that try to keep us down; but when we can turn away from the stress of these moments and feel the peace, that can only enter us from the Prince of all peace, then we begin to experience the soothing presence of a loving and caring God!

Exchanging a Heavy Burden for a Light Yoke

Do we find that we rest in God's lap of love, while experiencing an overwhelming moment from the day or do we attempt to find rest within the severity of our problems? These overwhelming moments can be like resting on a rock; we try to cozy up to the problem, while we attempt to handle the problem too; but yet we find as we go along, that the rock of our circumstance just allows us to become even more restless and filled with anxiety.

Matthew 11:28-30 says..."Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." When was the last time that we exchanged our overwhelming yoke of problems, for Jesus' light yoke of peace and rest? If we were to weigh out the difference; we would find that when we carry the yoke that Jesus offers us; then we are able to function a lot easier.

How can we exchange our burdens for Jesus' lighter yoke? When we pour our needs before Him and leave them at His feet...when we allow ourselves to rest in His loving arms; these are the things that bring relief from the problems of our day. To sum it up...we need to spend more time with God, so we are spending less time with our problems.

Jesus never said that life would be easy but He did promise us through this verse, that when we are weary and burdened; that He would be there to remove the yoke of bondage from us and give us rest through Him. The question is..."Are we allowing Him to do so?"

I pray that we will be able to walk away from needless suffering, as we discover a new yoke...a lighter one that will bring peace and rest back into our lives once more!

One Day at a Time

How many of us can say that we live more than one day at a time? Why is it that we can't live for just one moment and face the other moments as they are given to us by God? Matthew 6:34 says..."Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own."

In this reading...Jesus is teaching us to take life one day at a time. He's showing us that each day brings enough troubles of its own, so we need to leave our tomorrows with Him.

Do we realize that when we live for today, while we worry about other unknown moments, that we are just adding to a plate that is already filled? We come to discover that we have stressed ourselves beyond the point we should be stressed; just by adding one more day of thoughts to our lives, that don't even exist yet.

We can start out on Monday and have the whole week planned out, which is alright but when we begin to worry or dwell on days before they even arrive, then we may come to find, that those worries never came to life, which only causes us to suffer needlessly.

Today is Friday and we may have plans for the weekend or even for the beginning of next week but for now, we need to leave those plans in the hands of God, where they belong. After all...you never know what He has planned too!

Walking Hand in Hand and Side by Side with God

No matter what we face in life; for the one who knows Jesus Christ, there is always a remedy...a solution and a cure. The daily problems we face can stand tall before us and allow us to feel defeated, before we even begin to turn our face in God's direction; but for those who know Jesus, we don't have to allow the circumstances of this life to dictate us. Romans 5:1 says..."Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

We can experience peaceful moments that allow us to feel calm and free from anxiety; but true peace comes, when our lives our lined up with God, while being completely reconciled to Him. The temporary peace we experience through the world can be calming but the peace that we experience through a close walk with Jesus Christ becomes more lasting.

When we come to truly know God, instead of just knowing of Him, then a bond begins to form, that allows us to feel the presence of the Prince of all peace. His presence is a reassuring sign that no matter what may enter our lives; He has the control stick in hand. When we can let Him do His job, while we trust in what He's more than able to do, then the peace that we will receive will be a lasting peace.

As we live from one day to the next; we need to know that we are lined up, side by side with God. When we try to move ahead of God, then we are only going to feel distant from the wisdom and peace we need, so we can understand how to live; on the other hand; when we are lagging behind God, then we may miss out on all that He has to reveal to us and give us. When we find our sight aligned with God's, then we are going to have no problem facing the day and knowing His presence is right beside us; will give us eternal peace.

Losing to Win

Have we ever stopped to think, that we are who we are...only because of God? Even the very air that we breathe comes from Him. Genesis 2:7 says..."the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

During the moments of God's creation; man was made from the dust of the earth. The dust that formed man only became a shell; but when God breathed within the shell, called man...life began.

Do we stop to think, that our next thought can either come from God or from Satan? Whoever we turn to each day, will determine what direction we take and what we say and how we look at life and what we think. This is just so amazing to me!

These thoughts alone should cause us to always desire to be connected with God. When we are connected with God, through our thoughts, and how we perceive Him, then His presence will always be there to guide our steps, safely away from evil.

In my own life, I have gone down many difficult paths, as I'm sure that many of you have too. I have lost so many things in my life; that sometimes I tell Keith; that I feel as if the only thing that's left in my own personal life; is the air I breathe. We can feel stripped from everything that means so much to us, until we feel as if the only thing that's left, is the air we breathe but if we were to look at it this way; we would probably say..."maybe I've lost everything; but the breath of God is still in me and this means more to me, than any other thing in my life."

One of my favorite hymns goes like this..."I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hands; then to be a king of a vast domain or be held in sin's dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything, this world affords today.

When it comes to this world; are we too busy looking at what we've lost in life, that we forget that we have everything, when God lives within us? We not only have Him but we also have every benefit that stems from His presence. We may wish we had this or that in life; but would we be happy; knowing that we lost Jesus because of our own desires?

The song above has become so dear to me because I've come to realize that there is nothing that could satisfy me; as the moments I spend with God! I pray that we will be able to know His presence in such a way; that we may find that we have no need of anything, except for God!

Forgiveness...a Place to Begin Again

Today, I did a devotion on "Forgiveness...a place of beginning again." Tonight, I thought I'd continue the discussion on "Forgiveness" because we all face moments, when we need to forgive someone who has hurt us. Forgiveness can be a difficult thing sometimes because we can't only speak words of forgiveness; but our attitudes and actions need to match up with what we speak. Colossians 3:12-14 says..."Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

As Christians, we have been chosen to follow the example of Christ. We should be exchanging harshness for compassion...a hurtful spirit for kindness...prides for humility...bitterness for a gentle spirit...and impatience for patience. Instead of finding ways to bring hurt upon each other; we need to have a heart that reveals the true forgiveness that was first seen by Christ, on the cross.

Jesus became the first example of forgiveness to follow, so when we don't share in His forgiveness, then we are allowing His death to be in vain. When we can share in God's true compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and most of all His forgiveness, then we are showing Jesus to the world. Finally...when we can use the love of God to bind all of these things together, then God will reach out and shine from our hearts, to a world that needs Him so much!

Are we so caught up in our own feelings...feelings that remind us of our hurt and heartache or are we applying God's forgiveness to our lives? When we can live the example of Christ and share a heart of forgiveness with others, then we are allowing the meaning of the cross to remain alive, as it shines through our hearts to others.

Keys that Can Unlock a Darkened Heart

As we walk into another day, we may face moments, when we feel trapped and imprisoned by a situation. While facing these moments in our lives, we will need a set of keys that only God holds within His powerful hands...keys that can keep us from being locked within these moments of despair. John 14:6 says..."Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus has offered us a set of 3 keys in this verse that can help us to remain free...keys that can keep us from being imprisoned within our problems, so we can keep moving forward with God.

The first key unlocks the only way that can lead us to God, which is only found through Jesus Christ. Jesus knows the direction to take, that will help us to avoid the obstacles or traps, that Satan has placed before us and when our focus is on God, then we will always know the right direction to take.

The second key unlocks God's truth...the only truth that can free us from confusion and frustration. When we begin to believe God's truth, instead of the deceitful lies of Satan, which are set up to keep us imprisoned, then we will be able to leave our moments of despair behind.

The third and final key unlocks a better life for us. This life isn't your ordinary life that the world offers. Instead, this life will lead us closer to God and further away from the dangers of evil.

Today, we may run into an obstacle...a deceitful way of Satan...one that has been set up to detour us away from God; but when we know the way through God, that can lead us to truth, then we will find life with Him, as we begin to feel more distant from the works of darkness.

If we will put these keys into action; Jesus will become the way that will lead us closer to Him, while His truth will become the words that will keep our hearts unlocked and free from Satan's lies and when we allow Jesus to become our complete life, instead of being face to face with the problem, then we will find that the obstacle we once faced, doesn't appear to be as big as what we first thought.

Never Alone

Life's circumstances can cause us to feel alone and abandoned by others. We can feel as if we are hanging by a string, as we become overwhelmed by not only our circumstance but the frustration that comes, when others just don't understand our pain and heartache. Psalm 147:5 says..."Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit."

We need to remember, that when others walk away, while going through these difficult moments in our lives; we shouldn't remain in the "ashes of despair," that were added to the pain and heartache we've already been experiencing. When we remain not only in the moments, when we don't understand the reasons for our affliction but also in the moments when others hurt us by walking away; then we will find ourselves in a trap of despair, that will continue to be controlled by Satan.

The verse above has so much power and strength to what it says! We have a God that is great and mighty in power...greater than ourselves...greater than our circumstances and even greater than anything this world has to offer us. Not only does He long to demonstrate His great power in our lives; but He longs to be a God of understanding...a God that can always be there, to listen to every need, even when others walk away in unbelief.

He is the One who sits quietly within our hearts, as He listens to us and catches each tear that falls. We don't have to wonder if He is home or if He's growing tired of us because He's a God of unlimited understanding. His heart of understanding becomes like a waterfall that never ceases to flow.

While facing a difficult situation alone; why do we place God on the back burner of our hearts; when He is more than willing to help us understand the reasons for our moments of affliction? God is already more than willing to reach out His loving arms of understanding to us...the question for us to think about is..."Will we allow His presence and understanding to flood our hearts with His overwhelming presence." We may not see Him face to face at this time; but He's only a prayer away.

A Good Friend, in Time of Need

Life's circumstances can cause us to feel alone and abandoned by others. We can feel as if we are hanging by a string, as we become overwhelmed by not only our circumstance but the frustration that comes, when others just don't understand our pain and heartache. Psalm 147:5 says..."Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit."

We need to remember, that when others walk away, while going through these difficult moments in our lives; we shouldn't remain in the "ashes of despair," that were added to the pain and heartache we've already been experiencing. When we remain not only in the moments, when we don't understand the reasons for our affliction but also in the moments when others hurt us by walking away; then we will find ourselves in a trap of despair, that will continue to be controlled by Satan.

The verse above has so much power and strength to what it says! We have a God that is great and mighty in power...greater than ourselves...greater than our circumstances and even greater than anything this world has to offer us. Not only does He long to demonstrate His great power in our lives; but He longs to be a God of understanding...a God that can always be there, to listen to every need, even when others walk away in unbelief.

He is the One who sits quietly within our hearts, as He listens to us and catches each tear that falls. We don't have to wonder if He is home or if He's growing tired of us because He's a God of unlimited understanding. His heart of understanding becomes like a waterfall that never ceases to flow.

While facing a difficult situation alone; why do we place God on the back burner of our hearts; when He is more than willing to help us understand the reasons for our moments of affliction? God is already more than willing to reach out His loving arms of understanding to us...the question for us to think about is..."Will we allow His presence and understanding to flood our hearts with His overwhelming presence." We may not see Him face to face at this time; but He's only a prayer away.

Filling an Empty Void of Rejection

Many people live with one form of rejection or another. We can find ourselves rejected by family and close friends for different reasons but we must remember that when we see God for whom He truly is; we don't have to feel abandoned and alone. Psalm 27:10 says..."Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me."

Even though we may feel rejected by someone; Jesus is always there to fill the emptiness with Himself. He is a god that knows the true meaning of rejection, while experiencing rejection before and during the time of the cross. To this day, He still experiences rejection, as many turn their faces away from Him, to walk down their own pathway in life.

Our moments of rejection can cause us to feel abandoned and alone, as we just try to keep our self-esteem above the water. A person who experiences rejection can begin to believe that no one loves them, including God; but even though people may reject us; God will continue to view us as His loving child. In other words...He becomes the Father or Friend of the one who has forsaken us; if we will allow Him to do so.

It's so easy to get caught up into the world's way of thinking, by believing the words that are thrown upon our hearts, as people walk out of our lives but we must remember that whatever we believe; is what we receive in life. Not only do our words dictate our lives but our thoughts and hearts can either point us to a God of great love or to a place of great despair.

When we believe a deceitful lie from Satan and allow the rejection to eat at us, as a disease does, then we will begin to plummet down further, until all we feel is complete hopelessness. Instead, God longs for us to let Him fill the empty voids in our lives. We may not be able to see Him, as we do each other; but He is a God that will listen to our needs, as He reads our hearts and He will respond, if we give Him a chance to speak to our hearts.

Rejection doesn't have to be a place where no hope exists. The choice is ours; whether we believe the feelings that stem from rejection or whether we rise above this place of despair, to experience the greatest love of all...the love of a great and powerful God!

Exchanging Our Weakness for a Greater Strength

Do we see our strength, as a source of strength that comes from God or from ourselves? We can usually tell because God's strength is ongoing, while our strength only lasts for a short time. Hebrews 11:32-34 reads..."And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, (33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, (34) quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."

If we were to look back into many of the stories of the Bible, where people like these listed above, allowed the strength of a mighty God to go to battle for them; we would see that God can do the same for us. In other words...they gave God their weakness; only so they could gain a greater strength through a powerful God. They fought battles and overcame circumstances in their lives because the only way they could see relief, was to take God's strength into battle with them.

Are we doing the same? Do we try to carry a heavy weight of weakness upon our shoulders each day; rather than call out to a God of great strength? Are we taking God's strength into the battles we face or are we being beaten down, due to our own weakness? Do we see God's power and strength, as only strength from times past or do we truly know that He is the same God for us now, as He was for many long ago?

We know that Satan can feed on our weaknesses; but when we take our weaknesses and exchange them for something greater and stronger...something that can only come from God, then we will come to find, that we have also weakened the forces of evil.

Focusing on the Prize

It's so easy to give in to our problems and give up. There can be moments when we feel hammered by one situation after another, until we can't take it anymore. What we really need is a goal to reach for, instead of remaining focused so deeply on our problems. In I Corinthians 9:24-25, it reads..."Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (26) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

What causes us to give up? We become overwhelmed or we get hit by one thing after another, until we just can't take it anymore; but what can take us away from these feelings of hopelessness? Yes...we need a prize to focus on; rather than getting caught into a web, where all we focus on is one problem after another. The more we remind ourselves of what we've been through; the worse it seems to get, until we can't hang on anymore.

When a person is training for a race; they are focused on the prize. Every ounce of energy that's put forth and every day of training is going to bring them one step closer to the prize; as long as they remain focused on the prize. If they begin to fear the worst, as they begin the race, then their negative thoughts may ruin their chance for the prize.

In a similar way; we need to do the same. We need to find a moment of peace, where we can regroup and get our focus back on God and the prize we are running for. We need to lay all the excess baggage before God, so we can travel lighter and remain focused on God and Heaven.

There have been times in my own life, when I felt as though one circumstance after another was trying to take me down; but once I was able to shake the dust of those thoughts away and get my focus and connection back with God; peace began to set in, as my mind began to focus on a prize that would allow me to be with God for all of eternity.

Pursuing True Peace

Many times we pray for peace; especially while we are going through moments of pain and heartache but how do we truly obtain peace? Is peace something that falls from the heavens, as rain falls from the sky?

In I Peter 3:11, it reads..."He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." I've always felt that when we make one step forward in life; that God will make one too. How many times do we use God for everything we need; but yet we don't make any effort to meet Him at the place of our need? We see Him as a God that can do everything, while we sit idle; expecting Him to do according to our own desires. Over time, I've learned that peace just isn't something that's dropped in our laps. Peace is something we pursue and go after, until we're able to truly find God's best.

One thing I've discovered about peace; is that we need to let go of the negative things that are keeping us in a pit of despair. When we reach for the things that are of good report, then the God of all peace will be there with us. We need to seek after the good things in life that will bring peace into our lives. How can we experience the true peace of God, if our thoughts and spirits become dormant and left at the heart of our circumstance?

I remember when I had my first knee surgery. I was only around 10 years old and the nurses came in to get me up and walk me down the hall on my crutches. I was ok, until I placed my leg over the side of the bed. At this moment, I was determined to think up every excuse, so I wouldn't have to experience that kind of pain again. The only thing bad about my idea was that my leg wouldn't get better if I just sat in my bed and never moved it. In a similar way, when we allow ourselves to stay with our thoughts and attitudes, then how are we ever going to discover the real peace that God has for us? The first move may be difficult; but as we continue to seek the peace that we so long for; God will meet us there and crown each effort with His perfect peace.

God is More Powerful, Than Any Powerful Obstacle

As we prepare to begin another new week; we can find comfort in knowing that our God is a very powerful God. The pathway we enter this week may have unknown obstacles, that may try to convince us that the circumstances were facing are much more powerful than the power of God; but these are the times when we need to remind ourselves that the power that comes from evil can never compare to the power of a mighty God!

As I was preparing to write this evening; I found a great example of God's power vs. the power of evil, so let's read Exodus 7:10-12, which reads..."So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. (11) Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts. (12) Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staff's."

Moses and Aaron were approaching Pharaoh, to give Pharaoh a sample of God's power; that Pharaoh may be convinced to let God's people go. Aaron threw his staff down to the ground and as it hit the ground; the staff became a snake. To prove that Moses and Aaron's God wasn't as great as they had demonstrated; Pharaoh called in his wise men, sorcerers and magicians and as they threw their staffs to the ground, their staffs turned into snakes also; but only through their magic and evil ways, were they able to do this. The story ends; when God proved Himself as the greatest God to Pharaoh, as Moses and Aaron's snake (staff) devoured the other snakes.

Satan has a way of revealing his power in such a dramatic way; that we find ourselves drawn into our problem; instead of drawing from the power of God. The more we attempt to remain close to God; Satan just hauls out his bag of tricks, as he continues to deceive us with a power that can't even compare to God's power.

Just as Pharaoh's magicians and sorcerers used magic and satanic powers to try and override the power of a great God; we too can find ourselves believing more in the power of our circumstances. We need to remember, that even though our circumstance is standing in a rage before us...in the end, God will have the final say. We can spare ourselves from a lot of heartache and grief, if we continue to press on, as Moses and Aaron did and never give in to the deceitfulness of Satan.

Satan may be planning a deceptive trick this week...one that he feels can keep us distant from God; but we must remember the words of I John 4:4, which reads..."You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

I Need Thee...Oh I Need Thee

Do we feel that we truly need God or do these words just become words, while we continue to handle life on our own? Tonight, as I was getting around for the evening; God was reminding me of the people who have been in such need this week. He was reminding me, that we also need to desire His help, instead of trying to make our situations work out for our own good.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, it reads..."Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." When we walk away from God or get angry with Him; we are only putting a halt to what He can truly do in our lives. God wants us to trust Him with everything. When we only give Him half of our problem, while we cling to what remains, then we are only making our lives more difficult, while we remain in the bondage of our circumstance.

We need to accept that our circumstances can make us weak in spirit, so we need a strong God to lean on, while we use His words of understanding and hope to see us through the difficult moments in our lives. When we acknowledge Him and show Him how much we need Him, then we are saying..."here I am Lord...I can't make it through this time without You." We need to come to a realization, that He is the only One who can take a crooked pathway and make it straight. He holds all the powerful tools within His hands that can make our jagged pathway seem much easier to travel on.

It doesn't matter if we are facing bad news or a bad day; God is the same to all who reach out to Him. One evening, as I was praying; I found myself saying to God..."please Lord, help those who are crying out to you tonight." God is already willing to help us; but first He needs to know if we need Him or if we are going to wing it on our own. I believe that the moment a tear falls or a hand reaches up to the heavens; He immediately runs to the aid of that person.

What kind of a message are we relaying to God tonight? Are we sending a message that says..."Oh God how I need you or are we sending a different message that says..."that's ok God; I'm going to try it on my own first?" God is already living in those who have placed their belief and trust in Him; all we need to do is reach out and lean on God.

On Alert

Are we alert to the deceitful ways of Satan? He's prowling around...looking for the next weak moment to use against us. In I Peter 5:8-9, it reads..."Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (9) Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

If we are honest with ourselves, it's not always easy to keep the faith and remain strong, while fighting against Satan.; even though Satan's power cannot compare to God's great power, he still remains powerful, as he tries to use our weak moments against us.

One thing we need to remember is that Satan cannot work on us when we are strong in the Lord. He can only thrive on weakness, so he lurks around, like a lion; waiting to devour the next child of God that becomes weak in spirit.

One of the weapons that will keep Satan away is the shield of faith. When we are on top of the mountain with God, as we love and praise Him through affliction, then we will find that we have risen above the despair or weakness in our lives and because of that, we become even more distant from the clutches of evil.

I find that when I'm going through a rough day; I think about the many other people who are hurting too and I begin to praise God or talk with Him about their needs. When we can do this, while going through the difficult moments in our own lives, then we will find that peace begins to arise within us, while the difficult moments, once more fade out.

Once we recognize a weakness, we need to stand firm in the faith that God has given us and allow Him to become our sword of the Spirit...the sword that can destroy evil and bring us out of despair.

The Difference between Being Perfect and Becoming Perfect

Tonight, I thought we would talk on a different topic..."The difference between being perfect and becoming Holy." We live in a world, where we feel that we always have to be perfect, no matter what we do; but we must admit, that we will never become completely perfect until we reach the place of perfection, which is Heaven.

In Hebrews 10:14, it reads..."because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Through the death on the cross; Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world, so in that sense, we are perfect but yet our everyday lives become one more lesson that needs to be learned. There will always be something for us to learn, so these moments can remain branded upon our hearts, so we can refer to them, throughout other similar situations.

Where we go wrong; is when we take our mistakes and punish ourselves with them, instead of using them to make our lives better. When we attempt to become perfect and fall because of this form of pride, then the aftershocks cause us to plummet further into despair, where Satan continually reminds us of our mistakes.

Instead of trying to be perfect in an imperfect world; we need to use the lessons that come to us, as moments to become more like Christ. In other words; we need to allow God to be our teacher, while we become His pupil. When we can see our lives in this way, then we will be more likely to press on; rather than stay in the muck of despair.

Underestimating God's Help

Do we underestimate God's help? Do we feel that He is only able to resolve certain needs in our lives? Do we find that we only know about God, rather than truly knowing what He can do for us?

Today, I would like to share a verse with you in Mark 4:41, which reads..."They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him?" The disciples traveled daily with Jesus and as they traveled together, they saw the wondrous things He could do but yet they still underestimated Jesus, as a powerful and mighty God. They seemed to be more in touch with the things that Jesus did for others but when it came to them, they found it to be more difficult to believe that Jesus could work in the same way for them.

This verse reflects back to the story, when Jesus and the disciples were on a boat together. A storm began to move in, as the wind and the waves became blusterous but instead of knowing in their hearts that Jesus would take care of the situation, they woke Jesus up in a panic, as if they were going to drown. As Jesus awakens, He stands up and rebukes the wind and the waves and causes them to become quiet. As Jesus speaks to the disciples about their lack of faith; they begin to say..."Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!" Here, the disciples had journeyed long with Jesus but yet they were questioning who He was?

Do we sit back and watch God work in other people's lives; but when it comes to ourselves, we find it difficult to see God in the same way? We underestimate Him and unknowingly make Him, to be a weak God; yet He has the power to stand before us and rebuke the storm that's raging in our lives.

When we are able to believe in His power and allow Him to accomplish what is best for us, in His way; then we will begin to feel the hand of God upon us, as He begins to work out His best for our lives. Are we underestimating who God really is? Do we see Him as a powerful God in other people's lives, while we weaken Him within our own life? If so, then we need to sit down and have a talk with Jesus. We need to lay our plans and desires before Him and let Him mold them in a way that will keep us closely connected to Him.

Hearing the Voice of God

We listen to the sounds of many things throughout our day, including each other; but why do we find it so difficult to listen for the voice of God?

In James 1:19, it reads..."My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," Are we too busy talking to God and telling Him what needs to be done in our lives; that we aren't giving God a chance to respond?

How do we truly hear the voice of God? We speak to Him with our mouths but since we cannot see Him; how do we listen for His voice? When I write and I listen for God's words of wisdom; my mind is shut to everything else around me; as my heart prepares to listen for His still small voice. I believe that He can speak to us within our conscience, as a means of letting us know what's right and what's wrong and I've felt His presence, while quietly sitting and waiting for His response to my own needs.

We need to remember that this is a two-sided relationship. Yes...we need to share our needs with God; but we also need to give Him time to respond. Frustration and anxiety can end up walking us down dark and abandoned pathways; only because we are either too busy thinking and talking about our problems or we are too busy dwelling on whether God will answer our needs according to our own desires.

Do we only allow Him to enter our hearts; only as a means of tying His hands behind Him, while we take the control that belongs to Him? When we do all the talking and never listen for His voice; then we have made a powerful God weak, while He longs to do His best for us.

We live in a fast paced world, where we never seem to stop thinking or talking but if we are going to understand God's response to our needs, then we need to slow down and listen for a still small voice...a voice that can only become the true key that can unlock our moments of despair.

Connecting with God, Rather than the Problem

Are we only walking in the light of God's presence, when everything seems to be working for us? What causes us to feel so distant from such a powerful God, while walking through deep, dark valleys of despair?

In I John 1:5-7, it reads..."This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all (6) If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, purifies us from all sin."

If we were to take these verses apart, the first thing we would want to know, is that God should be the light that shines down upon us each day; no matter what we may be experiencing for the moment. The second thing we need to understand is that with God as our light, there is absolutely no darkness; for light and darkness cannot come together.

When we truly know God; we will always have the light to walk us down any pathway; whether good or bad. Darkness has a way of creeping in; as it attempts to steal the light of God's presence; but when we have a close knit relationship with God; then nothing can take away the presence of His light.

No matter what we may be going through; truth is another thing we definitely need because truth is what keeps us free and away from darkness, so when we lose touch with God's presence, we not only lose the light that can lead us away from darkness but we also lose God's truth...the only truth that can keep us free from bondage.

We also need a close relationship with God...a relationship that keeps us directly under the light of His presence. Our circumstances can try to place us in darkness but when we choose to connect with God, while facing the circumstance, than we find it much easier to cope with our problems because the light of God's presence is surrounding us.

The worse thing that can happen to us, while going through a difficult moment; is when we allow the negativity of our circumstance, to have control and pull us away from the light of God's presence. These moments only increase the weight of the burden that was first placed upon us by Satan.

If we are going to allow the light of God's presence to shine around us and within us; especially while going through a difficult moment in our life, then the best thing to do is connect with God, instead of trying to figure out the problem. When we are seeking God's help and leaning on His strength; the darkness can't overtake us because God's light will continually keep us in a moment of sustainment; until He's ready to walk us out of the storm.

Praise...a Light That Can Destroy Darkness

In God's word it says to praise Him, no matter what kind of circumstance may be in our way at the moment. Why do we see this as something strange? We praise God when He answers our prayers but why should we praise God, while walking through the deep valleys of despair?

In Acts 16:22-25, it reads..."The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. (23) After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. (24) Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. (25) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." There's more to this story; but the idea of this story, is that even though Paul and Silas were beaten and put in prison, they remained faithful to God, by praising His name. Are we able to do the same? When the shackles of pain and heartache or just a bad day come our way, can we find a reason to praise God?

If we were to go on and read verse 26, we would see the results of their praise to God, which reads..."Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose." When Paul and Silas were able to rise above their moments of despair and praise God; the power of a mighty God came down and freed them and in the end, verses 27-30 says..."The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. (28) But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" (29) The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas; (30) He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

We never can tell, when our praise; especially through the most difficult times will bring someone to God. When others around us can see that we are going through difficult moments in our lives; but yet we have a smile that radiates our praise to a worthy God, then they too will want God in their life...just as this jailer did.

A Mighty Warrior for a Strong Battle

Do we recognize the need of a powerful God, while facing difficult moments in our lives or do we just try to wing it on our own?

Tonight, I would like to share a reading with you in II Chronicles 14:11, which reads..."Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you."

This is a perfect example; when it comes to recognizing God, during difficult moments in our lives. Asa knew that there were fierce battles ahead but instead of trying to rely on what strength he had left within himself and within His army; He recognized the weakness that was before them and he called out to God for help. Asa knew that no one else could fight this fierce battle or could ever compare to the power of his God.

What about us? When we see an overwhelming battle headed our way; do we try to fight it alone, on what little strength we have or do we recognize the battle as something too difficult for us to fight alone? Can we admit to our weakness or do we always have to remain tough and strong?

As I was reading this verse to myself; the first thing that came to my thought was; how do we react to the first moments of a battle? This could make a difference on how we survive the battle because once we step into the battle zone; we find that Satan works harder to keep us there. If we could just come to a place in our lives, where we learn to lean on God for everything we face, then we would find ourselves leaning on a powerful God, as He fights each battle for us.

Walking in Loving Footsteps

Love can sometimes become a difficult word to understand and love can end up becoming a word that's spoken easily, without any thought being applied to the words we speak. In other words...do our hearts match up with our words of love?

The world's kind of love is only artificial and wavers from one sentence to the next. One minute we can truly believe that we are being loved, while the next moment...that same love we first came to know, walks away; only to make us feel abandoned and alone.

Tonight, I found some interesting reading in I John 5:1-5, which reads..."Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. (2) This is how we know that we love the children of God; by loving God and carrying out his commands. (3) This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, (4) for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (5) Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

The word "love" can be easily taken for granted; but one thing we really need to ask ourselves is this...does our love for God match up with the words we speak to others? These verses are saying that when we truly love God, then that same love will automatically spill over into other people's lives.

The love we share with others shouldn't be a burdensome love or in other words, a love that we have to work at. As our love for Christ overflows within us, our love for others should do the same. When we can love people as we do Christ, then they will also see the love of God shining from us to them.

Our circumstances can also attempt to place us in a pit of depression or despair; but it's only when we begin to line our hearts back up with God, that we find His love to become the arms of strength, that lift us out of our pit of despair.

There's an old hymn that goes like this..."I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within...sinking to rise no more. Then the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry and from the waters He lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me...love lifted me, when nothing else could help, love lifted me. His love lifted me, love lifted me. When nothing else could help; love lifted me."

We don't have to remain in the pit that allows us to feel unloved; because there is a God who can lift us up and out, on wings of love. His love alone can take us from a place of loneliness and heartache, to a place of peace and contentment with Him.

Are we still trying to match our love for others, by a worldly, artificial love? All we need today is to experience the love of God...a real love that will become contagious to others around us!

Sizing up the Battle

How do we truly experience the strength of a mighty God? Today, as I was searching God's word, He began to reveal His strength to me, in a new light, through Hebrews 11:32-34, which reads..."And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, (33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."

We read story after story, about people who were spared from the jaws of lions...to a fiery furnace...to a giant named Goliath but how did they experience this kind of strength, to sustain and help them during times of great need? For example, let's look at David and Goliath. When David went to destroy the great giant Goliath, he didn't look at the size of Goliath but instead, he saw that this great giant was in the way of God's service. David knew that the only way this giant could be destroyed, was to go in the strength of a mighty God, so that's what he did. As David swung the stone around and around, he knew that his own strength wouldn't be enough, so he called upon the Lord of host. As the stone left the sling shot and headed directly to Goliath; God fulfilled David's request and His strength entered the stone and brought Goliath to the ground.

How are we coping with a giant circumstance today? Are we giving in before the battle is even over? Are we too busy looking at the size of our circumstance, that we are allowing the circumstance to defeat us? Instead, we need to be like David and others who relied on God's strength. We need to go into the battle ground...calling upon the strength that can only come from the Lord of host. When we go into battle with God's strength, then with God's help, we can bring the giant of circumstance to the ground.

Arms of Refuge

As we prepare to begin another new day, we need a place of refuge...a place where we can go, when moments become difficult and overwhelming...a place where we can find peace in the midst of turmoil.

Today, God was reminding me of a song that has become of great comfort in my own life...which says..."I've anchored my soul in the haven of rest; I won't sail the wild seas anymore. The tempest may sweep, o'er the wild and stormy deep but in Jesus I am safe evermore." Each moment of pain and heartache can seem like a wild and stormy sea. We can feel tossed about, while the waves of each circumstance attempts to take us down but I've discovered through this song, that there is a place of refuge, where we don't have to face the stormy seas alone...a place where we can find rest in the refuge of Christ's almighty arms of love and when we find Jesus, to be that place of refuge in our lives; we don't have to fear the waves or the stormy sea anymore.

In Psalm 9:9, it reads..."The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." When we have fallen into the refuge and safety of Christ's almighty arms, then we are sheltered from everything that surrounds us each day. Jesus not only becomes a refuge for us but He also becomes the anchor that will steady us each day and fill us with a calm assurance that everything is going to be alright.

Can you imagine what it must have been like, as the kings and shepherds, approached the place, where the new messiah laid? For many years, they anticipated the arrival of the true messiah because they knew that He would bring hope into this world. In a similar way, we too should anticipate the presence of the true messiah, within our own lives. When we know, without a doubt, that He lives within us; then we also find a piece of renewed hope that can carry us through any trial, we may face.

It doesn't matter if we are going through chronic pain, heartache, grief or just a bad day; Jesus has plenty of room in His loving arms of refuge, where we can feel safe until the storms of life pass us by.

Never Forsaken

What causes us to feel unloved by God, while going through difficult moments of affliction? Do we feel as though God has walked away and forsaken us? Do we feel as though He is using our affliction to strike us down, in return for the sins of our past? Many questions can flood our minds, while walking down these difficult pathways but one thing God does allow at times, are moments of testing.

In Psalm 26:1-3, it reads..."Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. (2) 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."

In this reading, David wasn't stating that he was perfect; but he was telling God that he was trying to keep his life in tune with Him. As David continued, he asked God to test him and examine his heart, as a means of showing God that he longed to love Him more and walk in His truth.

There can be times when we think we have it all together with God. We can feel as though nothing could ever shake us or knock us down; but what happens when affliction enters our lives? When Satan throws a dart of affliction our way, are we truly standing strong in the strength of a mighty God? Can we pass the test or do we find that we are struggling to just remain on our feet?

One thing we need to remember, is that even though God allows Satan's dart of affliction to remain for a time; He isn't doing it to harm us or destroy us; but instead, God is allowing it to stay; to see if we are strong enough in Him. When we lean on God's strength during these difficult times, then we have also found God to be closer to us, which allows us to keep pressing on, instead of wallowing in a pit of despair.

How are we handling the moments of affliction? Do we feel the strength of God lifting us up, so we can continue to press on or are we finding ourselves falling deeper into the clutches of evil? These tests that we endure remind me of a potter and the clay. A good potter will keep working with a vessel until the vessel is perfect; that way the vessel will be able to be used in a mighty way. In a similar way, God is allowing these moments of testing to be as though we are the clay on the potter's wheel. When God sees that we have passed the test and are ready to walk out of the fire with Him, then we will find that God has used our afflictions to make us into strong and mighty vessels, for His use.

Hope for an Uncertain Future

This morning, we were awakened to the reports of an earthquake and a Tsunami in Japan. These days that we are living in can bring fear to people's hearts and minds; but for the one who has truly accepted Jesus as Lord in their life; these times are bringing us one step closer to the return of Christ...the hope we live for.

In Luke 21:25-28, it reads..."There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. (26) Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. (27) At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (28) When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

When a world without Christ views the different changes within this world, they grow fearful because of no hope; but we as Christians have a hope to hold to; that as this old world gradually passes away, all things will eventually become new and everlasting for us. When we see the symptoms of the end times, we should grab on to the hope that God has given us...that soon this life of pain and heartache will come to an end and that no matter how much pain and heartache tries to knock on Heaven's door; the door will remain shut to these hurtful moments forever, as we spend all of eternity with God. Why are we allowing the pain and hurtful moments to bring despair into our lives, when Jesus is longing for us to anticipate His return?

In verse 28, it reads..."When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." It's as if we are experiencing the reassuring hand of God in our lives during these moments, as the world slowly comes to an end. These warnings are a reminder from God that these moments we experience from day to day won't be forever. We shouldn't be down and out, as if we have no hope; but rather, we should be lifting our eyes to the heavens, while we anticipate the grand entrance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Confidence in God's Decision

Today, I would like to read a Bible reference that deals with our needs, so let's read Hebrews 4:16, which says..."Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." When we have confidence in God's power, then our thoughts have no reason to be focused so tightly on our needs because we just know that God is going to work everything out His way, which is the best place for our need to reside.

Do we stand with confidence before God or how do we personally approach God, when we are dealing with a difficult need? Do we see ourselves as a person who can do more than God or do we fear Him in a way that allows us to look for His answers instead of our own? When God has the need; He may not always answer right away but while we are waiting and trusting Him to do His very best for us; He sustains us and replenishes us with His mercy and grace...to keep us going through these difficult moments. In other words...when we have our needs in His hand, then He is showering us with words of compassion and He's filling us with the love He first gave us at the cross.

So many times we are looking for God to hurry and meet a need right away but what if He has a time frame of plans that need to be met first, before He is actually able to supply the need? Do we want to get in His way with our thoughts of despair? When we allow "trust," to be used, as a means of waiting on God, then we are sending Him a message that says..."that's alright God; I trust that You will do Your very best for me."

Pressing on During Moments of Adversity

Do our moments of adversity taken us so low, that we find ourselves sitting in our moments of self-despair? Are we so weak and tired from the trials we face, that we can't seem to get up and press on?

Today, I would like to share several Bible verses in Acts 2:25-28, which reads..."For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. (26) Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: (27) because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." (28) Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."

The trials we face can jolt us into thinking that we will never come through these difficult moments. They have a way of controlling our thoughts away from God, so all we see is the depth of despair. When these moments arise, we have 2 choices. We can either keep getting up, while we shake the dust of the circumstance away from us or we can allow it to weaken us; to a place where we find ourselves visualizing no hope at all.

In this reading...David began by speaking words of encouragement. He mentioned that when He foresaw the Lord before His face; he knew that nothing could jolt him or move him away from God and because of this, David found a reason to rejoice and find hope, instead of sitting in a circumstance of gloom and despair.

Also, I found verse 27 to be very interesting, which reads..."Because though wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt though suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Many times, while going through terrible moments of pain and heartache, my trials made me feel as though I was walking in the pits of hell. The trial can seem so intense at times, that we can feel as though we are very distant from God but we are reminded in this verse, that God will not allow His Holy one's to see corruption or the defeat that can come about through these moments of intense trials.

We may feel as though our circumstance has put us in a place where we will never be able to leave the difficult moments that we are experiencing; but one thing we must do, is to continue to press on. As God becomes the great and mighty shepherd during these difficult times; He will find us and keep us from the moments of complete destruction.

Today, are we focusing on the promises that God gives us in His word or are we allowing the circumstance to look us straight into the eye? No matter what we are going through, God will reach down and take hold of us, even as we reach the edge of the cliff. There is renewed hope for those who truly believe in God because with God in our lives, we can never be moved!

A God Who Will Walk Us through Darkness

Lately, I'm being reminded; that no matter what we go through in life, we do have a God to turn too that is greater than any circumstance we may experience in life. We do not have to face our moments of affliction alone because we have a new relationship that can allow our hearts and thoughts to turn away from the world and closer to a God who longs to share in these moments.

In I Peter 2:9-10, it reads..."But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (10) Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

If we were living in a time when we never knew who Jesus Christ was, then we would have a reason to sit and wallow in despair; but times have changed, due to a man who went to a rugged cross...a man who took every stroke of the whip upon Him; just to justify for every sin or weakness that we'd endure in our lifetime. This man walked a lonely journey of rejection, pain and suffering; just to give us a new life. Because of Jesus' death; we have a friend that we can bond to, even during the darkest moments. We have "worth", not because of ourselves but because of Jesus Christ.

When we know Jesus; we have no excuse for allowing our moments of affliction to bury us beneath a heavy load of despair; for Jesus not only died for our sins but He also died to walk us through the moments of darkness; that we might live within His daily love and mercies.

No matter what you may be going through today; if you know Jesus...the price for your sin and affliction has already been taken care of. All we need to do is walk in the paths of renewed mercy each day; for when we are walking with Jesus, then the pathway will become more fragrant with the peace of God. May we truly remember who lives within us; that we may experience the benefits of God's Son, Jesus Christ!

Is Discouragement Running our Lives?

How do we handle discouragement? Do we allow discouragement to dictate our lives? Discouragement can make us feel as though we are imprisoned within a cell of total despair. We can feel as though these moments of discouragement are keeping us from completing God's will for our lives.

In Philippians 1:12-14, it reads..."Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. (13) As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. (14) Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." In this reading...Paul was imprisoned but instead of sinking low into moments of discouragement; Paul used these moments to minister and because of his chains of imprisonment; others were encouraged to also speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

I believe that when Satan brings on an affliction; one of his main goals is to keep us discouraged. He knows that when we become discouraged, then he has us right where he wants us to be...in his control.

Many times throughout my own life; I've served God through pain and tiredness. I didn't do it to prove that I was stronger than the next person; instead, I did it to throw a weapon back at Satan and send him a message that he wasn't going to have the upper hand in my life. I have found that when I minister through my pain and tiredness; that I am also giving my needs more directly to God, so I can press on and do what God has called me to do.

We can either sit within a prison cell of discouragement, while each moment continues to feel like a raging storm or we can use our discouragement to reach out and share the love of God with others. When we choose to wallow in discouragement, then Satan can use our weaknesses even more to control our lives and keep us plummeting down into a place where we feel even more distant from God.

Satan has formed a weapon against us and the weapon's name is "discouragement". What we need to ask ourselves is this..."what weapon are we using with God's help, to destroy these weaknesses in our lives?"

Walking Alone Through Unknown Territory

As we begin a new week; we may still be facing an affliction or problem from the previous week. We may feel as though we are walking in unknown territory once more and we just don't know what may be awaiting us around the corner.

Tonight, as I was thinking about all the people who are going through times like these; I felt lead to share some special verses 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."

It amazes me; of how may times God uses the same verses in our lives! We may think that we have figured out the verse or verses; but then another situation arises, when God brings the same verses back into our lives once more and this is what He is doing tonight.

We don't have to face another week in dread, when God holds the keys from the cross, that can keep us free and at peace. When God lives within our lives; we can be facing the fiercest storm...a storm that seems to have no end; but when we have God in our lives; there is nothing to dread or concern ourselves about when it comes to the storm we're facing because with God, we can have a settled back feeling and know that because He is in charge, that He will take care of every one of our needs. We don't have to fear anything or try to figure out anything because He is the Master of the stormy sea.

No matter what we may be facing; if we aren't living a life that is settled back, while calmly facing our foes, then we need to ask ourselves if we have allowed God His rightful place in our lives. We know that when we try to master the storm; that we are going to be fighting it alone and when we fight a fierce storm alone, then we are granting more power to the problems we're facing because God's power no longer is there for us. How can God have His rightful place, when we are in the way...taking control?

As we begin another new week; God is giving us a brand new start...a moment when His mercies are being renewed within us. Are we going to allow Him to have His rightful place, while we sit in prayer...calmly facing our foes?

Looking for the Eternal Instead of the Temporal

Our circumstances can make us feel as though we are dangling from a string at times. Each trying moment begins to whisper negative words within our hearts; to try and convince us to give in to the affliction. It seems that we begin to feel the weight of the affliction in such a real way; that we forget how our afflictions can serve a purpose.

Tonight, I would like to share several Bible verses from II Corinthians 4:16-18, which reads...For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Our afflictions can seem as though there is no end to them but if we were to look through God's eyes; we would see 2 things. First, we would see that our afflictions are being allowed; to work in a far better way for our lives. The second thing is that we need to remember that the things we visualize in this life are just temporal and the things we can't see like Heaven are eternal.

If we could allow our minds to focus more on what awaits us, instead of what we are going through, then we would see our afflictions as a goal in life...a goal that can cause us to reach a higher place with God and a goal that will help us to eventually leave these present moments behind; that we may find God and be with Him for all of eternity.

We need to be reminded that when we feel the outward man perishing; it's only because God is allowing ourselves to be renewed in its place. God allows us to continue on; even when we tell Him that we aren't making it because He has a plan for our lives. His strength becomes a source of sustainment to lean on, until He allows the storm to pass us by.

Are we looking more directly into the face of the temporal problem or are we looking and longing for the things that haven't yet been seen...the moment when we will shed the shackles of this old life once and for all; to live for all of eternity in peace with God?!

God is drawn to the Broken Heart

One of the first verses God used in my life is found in Psalm 34:18a...which reads..."The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking..." As we are facing difficult times in our lives; we need to know that God is truly close to us. When others walk away and can't handle our pain or heartache anymore; we have a God that will remain and hold our hand until the storm passes through.

I remember many times, while facing a new surgery or a counseling session for a past sexual abuse that the moments began to feel so empty and alone. Sure, I had Keith but the loneliness was different; it was a loneliness that made me feel as if I was in my own world, where no one understood what I was going through but God.

I remember the exact day when God gave me this verse. I had just returned home from a counseling session and Keith was at work. The house was empty and all I could feel was the heartache that gripped my inner being. As I sat on our bed, with my arms wrapped around the bed post; I cried out to God, with uncontrollable sobbing's. As I poured my broken heart out to God; I began to feel the love of God surrounding me, as though His arms of love were holding me. He began to minister to my heart with this very special verse, which I have held tight to for over 15 years of my life, since that day.

We may have moments when no one seems to understand our needs and we may feel so abandoned and alone but just remember..."God is close to those whose hearts are breaking." We don't need to seek anyone out to talk to because He is already there...willing and ready to listen to the needs of our hearts.

It's amazing how God can minister to a broken heart, when we lay our complete self before Him. No matter what you may be going through today; you don't have to feel alone because God is especially close to us, when we are in pain or when we live with heartache and grief.

I pray that we will seek for God today. Give Him a chance and you may be surprised with His loving response, as He ministers to your broken heart.

Do Our Problems Dictate Our Lives?

Are we looking at our problems from Jesus point of view or our own? Are we discovering renewed hope during difficult times or are we living with the weight of our circumstance, when we already know that Jesus holds the keys that can unlock our problems and free us from bondage?

In Mark 5:35-36, it reads..."While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, "Your daughter is dead," they said, "Why bother the teacher anymore?" (36) Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Are we allowing our problems to dictate the final outcome in our lives? If so, then we will never discover renewed hope in God. When we can see the worst of our situation and base the final outcome on what we see, then we will find that our problems will keep us in bondage.

In this reading...Jairus was confused and upset over his daughter's death but Jesus spoke up and said..."Don't be afraid; just believe." When we view the words of others, that were spoken of in this reading, then we see no hope but when Jesus speaks up to Jairus and says..."just believe", then Jesus is giving Jairus a piece of renewed hope to hold onto.

Do we find it easy to give into our problems, rather than see them through, with the power of a mighty God? We lose hope and we see no reason to go on, when we allow the problem to dictate our thoughts but when we see our problem in a similar way to Jairus' experience; we find that God is more then willing to renew us and cause us to rise to our feet, so we can keep pressing on with Him.

Are we feeling frustrated, alone and angry because we have found ourselves being dictated by a problem that can't fix itself? Do we see God as a powerful God; but yet, when it comes to believing in what He can do, we find ourselves succumbing to the power of our weaknesses instead? If so, we need to turn our thinking around and allow God's view of our problem to be seen, instead of allowing the problem to place us in a pit of despair.

We need to remember that God is the true source to all of our problems and needs. After all...why do we find ourselves turning to Him, if we didn't see it that way to begin with?

I pray that we will find strength through our problems...a strength that will cause us to look through the eyes of a mighty God, instead of a weak circumstance. May we come to know a mighty God today and may we allow His power to be seen through the weak moments in our lives!

A Sustaining Shepherd

Today, there have been more people in need of prayer, that I thought I would write on a couple of verses in the book of Psalm 23, verses 1-4, which reads..."The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, (3) he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

While walking through a difficult day, the circumstance has a way of making us feel alone and empty but for the many times I've read this chapter in the Psalms, I still visualize God's children as sheep, while He remains the shepherd who cares for us. He knows us all by name and He even sees the needs of our heart and when His presence surrounds us, we don't have any want or need because He is the One who always sees to the need of His flock.

He is the only One who can sustain us through the day, while leading us away from the cares and burdens of this life and into greener pastures. He is the One who can bring peace to our tired minds, as He takes the worries of this life upon Himself and replaces these moments with the stillness of quiet waters. While we are being refreshed in His presence, He restores us and brings us back in touch with Him. Once He's got us back into His loving arms, He guides us along His pathway of righteousness, where all we experience is the beauty and fragrance of His sustaining peace.

There may be times again, when we will walk through dark valley's but He will never forget us or abandon us and having that reassurance, will help us to stay at rest with Him. We also live with the reassurance, that if we find ourselves about ready to fall over the cliff, into the clutches of evil, He will take His own rod and staff and gather us back to Himself and He will comfort and sustain us, as He ministers to our hearts.

God has already offered us these precious benefits; but now He is giving us the choice, as to if we will receive His tender mercies and help or whether we choose to go on and weather the storm alone. We need to realize that even though there are days when we face overwhelming moments, we don't have to face them alone. When He chose us to be His very own, through salvation, He never intended for us to travel these difficult pathways, without His presence being near. Instead, it was His desire to become the Shepherd that watches over us throughout each and every day.

Walking through Adversity to Press On

We need to remember that we are running a race in life...a race that will eventually take all those who believe in Christ to Heaven. The moments of testing and trial aren't meant to make life more difficult; but instead, they are meant to keep us rising higher towards Heaven. How are we going to press on, if first, we don't know how to grow and have the strength to move forward in our lives? Acts 20:24 says..."However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me...the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Each need in our life can seem like an obstacle...something that tries to keep us from pressing forward with God. When we become too close to our needs, instead of allowing God to have them, then we are allowing the obstacle to control us and keep us from the plan that God has for our lives.

The only way the obstacle can be removed, is when we give our needs to Christ and leave them with Him. When we become too engulfed within the circumstance, we find that we are clinging to it as a means of security, rather than, clinging to Christ. We need to allow ourselves to give our needs to God, so He can mend or supply the need in our life, so we may be able to step forward with God, without the obstacle being in our way.

When we can say that we are nothing, in comparison to God and all that awaits us, then we will find it much easier to keep our thoughts away from our needs, so we can run the race that's set before us. Through these experiences, we will learn to lean on God and trust Him even more, which will become strength for the journey.

I pray that we will find ourselves pressing on...running the race that's set before us, instead of looking into the face of our circumstances! May you truly find the depth of God's love and mercy, as you walk through your hour of need!

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.

Visit Diane at Risen Hope Ministries...

http://www.risenhopeministries.com
