Sep

04

Trust or bust

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God’s inspiring love for humanity began in the Garden of Eden with the first animal sacrifice where he used the skin of the creature to clothe Adam and Eve. Why would God be so graciously inclined to show them mercy in light of their sinful disobedience?  Even after their fellowship was broken through their sin and God cast the couple out of his presence, his gracious love for them remained. His mercy continued so much that he eventually sent his son to redeem all of mankind from sin.

In times of fear or uncertainty, it should be comforting to know that God is closer than we think. If we are abiding in Christ, there is nothing to fear because we are held in the palm of his hand. We are as close as marrow is to bone.  Unlike worldly love that ebbs and flows at its own discretion, God’s love is an unlimited source that wells up from his true nature.

Today, Christ sits at the right hand of God after making the ultimate sacrifice. Those who’ve put trust in Him should no longer have any fears, worries, or doubts about the Lord’s love or his plans and provisions for our lives. Whether there’s famine, peril, nakedness, or sword, there’s nothing—at all—that can come between the Lord and His redeemed.

 

Aug

28

Joy overflowing

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Water not only quenches our thirst but is also a metaphor in the Bible for life. When we are parched—not only of physical thirst but the spiritual thirst of our souls as well—a never ending spring of life flows abundantly from our Lord and can satisfy like no other.

Living water is something Jesus promised to the woman at the well when he told her, those who drink of the water I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life (John 4:14).

The water of salvation that flows from the very presence of God is available in endless supply for humanity’s deepest needs.

When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongue is parched with thirst,
the Lord will answer them,
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water… ~ Isaiah 41:17-18

Are you thirsty today? What God did for Israel, he can do for you. The Lord cares for you, and the water of salvation is yours for the asking when you have the faith to believe.

Aug

20

A glorious future

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In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the Jews who had been living under the controlling authority of foreign empires before they were sent away from Jerusalem into exile. One can only imagine how difficult it would be to live under that kind of domination and control.

Jeremiah told the people they would live in Babylon for at least 70 years, and they should settle down, build houses, marry, and even pray for the peace and prosperity of the city in which they now found themselves (Jeremiah 29:4-10).

His prophetic words were spoken to people in the midst of hardship and suffering, but God’s response then, and even now, is that he does not always provide immediate escape from difficult situations. Rather, God promises that He has a plan to prosper his people, sometimes in the midst of their current situations. We refer to Romans 8:28 that tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” This should reassure us to look beyond our circumstances and focus on God in the storms of life.

Christians facing difficult situations today can take comfort in the words of Jeremiah, knowing that God is still on the throne and hasn’t forgotten us. He has a plan for our lives as we walk in faith trusting in Him. Regardless of our current state, especially in this current culture, we can be assured that He can work through it all to prosper us and give us a hope and a blessed future.

Aug

14

Our guiding light

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Where does one find help and guidance in times of extreme pain or difficulty? While struggling in distress, to whom do you go? Is there a special variant of escape that’s become a go-to standby? Seeking help for problems can be sought in numerous ways, but nothing can really cure the situation totally if we use only our own strength and muster. In fact, it may compound things.

The psalmist in Psalm 43 speaks of his oppression in the face of distress and questions God on why he seems so distant. Why do you cast me off…you are the God of my strength. So, why am I in mourning?

Sometimes, God is indeed silent, and tested people of faith sometimes ask this same question: Why isn’t God answering in the way I think he should? Our reasoning should be: God, only you can give me true peace. I need to be led by your light and truth…please send it to me and increase my faith. Until you answer, please be my strength.

Our road to the land of spiritual healing comes through submitting to God’s light and truth. It’s the only way to be led through our faith journey… unless we want to do it ourselves and wonder why life goes dark on us. We need God to lead the way to live abundantly.

In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “We seek not light to sin by, nor truth to be exalted by it, but that they may become our practical guides to the nearest communion with God.”

Aug

06

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Life

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So humble, our Savior. As down-to-earth as mere bread to which Jesus symbolically fashions himself… his very essence goes far beyond a food group and becomes the life-sustenance for all who believe.

At the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus used five loaves of bread and two fish. His miracle of the feeding seemed to go unnoticed by some of the Jews, who asked for another sign that Jesus was sent from God, as though this miracle didn’t satisfy them enough. Apparently, they were so enthralled with the free meal, the carbs must have fogged their minds so that they missed the whole message of Christ. He was their Messiah and was right in their midst, yet the concept went over their heads.

Do not labor for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life ~ John 6:27

While they may have remembered the manna from heaven that God had provided while they traveled the desert, they didn’t quite catch the metaphor that God, through Jesus, is the “Bread of Life.”

Our appetites are assuaged by the baker’s bread, but our lives can only be fully satisfied by the one true manna from heaven—the essential element for a complete, whole existence both now and through eternity.