Mar

26

His perfect peace

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

Are we consumed by personal struggles and troubles of the day when we try to sleep at night? Or do we let them fester so to rob ourselves of much needed rest? Do we search for peace and comfort in substances, food, or drink to assuage the unrest within? Or do we feast on his word?

The world’s offerings of relief from the cares and burdens are available to us, but they are only a temporary crutch. They don’t solve the problems. There is a better way. For the children of God, the ones Christ calls his brethren, our Lord supplies us with real peace—not as the world gives—and it totally surpasses our understanding of how it works, but it does!

The world is a battlefield for control of our minds. The combat skirmishes will always be there until we’re promoted to heaven, but there is assurance that in Him, our battles are already won. Our deliverance is met in Jesus.

When struggles and trials seem bound to grab our soul and squeeze out our peace, rejoice in the Lord and count it all joy as the book of James states. Why? Because the Lord has overcome the world, and as a believer, you have the spirit of the Lord! Your trials and temptations are the chisel that conforms you to be more like Jesus. Let him do a good work in you by faithfully keeping your focus on him.

Mar

20

The gift of time

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

 The Lord lends to all of us a measure of time while on the earth. It’s a precious gift. As stewards of our time, it’s our choice in how we use it. With our gift of a pre-determined number of days, what are we to do with them?

With the 86,400 seconds in each day, the way we prioritize those moments is important to getting the best out of life. We can be distracted with the unimportant, or we can live each day as though it were our last.

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” ~ Psalm 90:12

Our time is a God-given gift, and with it we can choose to honor him through what we spend our time on or dishonor him. It’s our choice. For the saved, we’ve come to know that seeking his face in all we do is better than doing things on our own. Let it be our resolution to seek His kingdom rather than possessions and Godliness rather than selfishness. We may aim for the highest; but it’s so easy to fall short.

Some would define God as a great clockmaker, who set the world up and then walked away to let the clock run on its own time. But God is anything but negligent of His creation. No, he’s playing an active role in the world even though he lives outside of time.

Always remember, our days are numbered by God for a purpose. Today could be our last. Make the best use of what he has given, and keep in mind that all of his gifts to us, including our time, are through his grace alone.

Mar

14

He’s our shield and deliverer

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

With the forces of good and evil always at play in the battlefield of life, it’s comforting to know we have an advocate on our side. It’s no ordinary comrade or friend who may have our back. It’s the Alpha and the Omega, the Rock of Ages, the Name Above All Names. God is our fortress and our strength and a very present help in times of trouble.

The roads we travel aren’t always smooth, and the rough spots can lead us astray as we navigate our way around life. But God’s word tells us that for those who love him and who are called according to his purpose, everything  will work together for good. He has a plan and purpose for everything. Not everything is good, but…

“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose” ~ Romans 8:28.

The Almighty God and Creator of the universe wants to have a personal one-on-one with each of us. He wants to be our shield and deliverer. What better way to go than to yield our lives to Him—our creator—to find the ultimate direction. Like a father, he will withhold no good thing from his children. Even above and beyond the most sophisticated GPS system, God knows the better route to go.

Though we may encounter tribulation and trials, one after the other, the wise man sees beyond the storms of life, knowing God is in the midst of every suffering and is not immune to the cares and worries of those who belong to him. His strength will shield and sustain us—always. We serve an awesome God.

Mar

05

The omnipotence of God

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ~ Psalm 139:7-10

 God is everywhere. To view creation and say that a higher being didn’t have a hand in it is like saying a book wrote itself using an alphabet as its guide. God determines the position of the moon and stars…our hearts beat at his command… he knows the number of hairs on our heads…he’s in our every breath.

Some deny the existence of God because of pain and suffering. They may attribute their struggles to a lack of godly concern or may feel abandoned by God and so now deny that he is even there. After all, how could a just God allow such travesty? But did God create the travesty? Is he to blame?

The unbelieving may not be aware that God has already touched their lives—every day. In countless ways, he’s healed, protected, and preserved them. Please, Lord, allow our unsaved friends and family to have clear eyesight to see your hand upon their lives and to see their cups as half full rather than half empty.

We understand this world will never completely satisfy. We know there can be no complete fulfillment here, but Christ did not come to do away with suffering; he came to touch our lives with his presence…to bind our wounds and make us completely whole—in him. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to redeem man from sin and to lead the way to our true home forever in heaven.

How beautiful to be touched by the saving grace of Jesus.

 

Feb

27

How great is our God!

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

Who can measure the greatness of God? Is there a yardstick big enough?

When Jesus came to earth the first time, he came as a peaceful. loving servant. He healed the sick and caused the blind to see. The miracles he performed drew many, but the essence of who he was became an offense to some, and so he was hung to die. Yet the greatness of Christ did not let death claim him. He had the victory because he was God!

When the actual greatness of God becomes manifest, it’s jaw dropping to fathom just how great he is…even above our imagination. That we could be so loved by him is more than great. There are no words that can truly describe our Savior.

Right now, we see merely a glimpse of his true glory. When we see him face-to-face, his greatness will be like nothing we’ve every known or could ever fathom while here on earth. Maranatha, Jesus!

Great is the Lord and abundant in power; His understanding is above measure ~ Psalm 147:5