Stop Relying on Yourself and Learn to Rely only on God!

​Did Jesus suffer? Was Jesus sometimes lonely? Was He tempted to be discouraged? Was He misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly? Of course! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, He must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which he took Christ. Does this mean God causes tragedies? No. God is good, and He will not cause evil or do evil. But God can use dark and stressful times for good. He’ll use them to teach us to trust Him to show us how to help others and to draw us closer to other believers. Have a wonderful day in His presence. Love you all. 

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8–9)

This is perhaps one of the clearest indications in the Bible as to why we may experience difficulties. In this incident, Paul and his companions experienced difficulties so they would rely on God and his resources. It is a hard lesson to learn because often we think we are resourceful enough not to need help from God or others. The world would tell us we can achieve anything we want, if we try hard enough. But the truth is we are so dependent on God we cannot even take our next breath unless he allows us to do so. Somehow it is in the hard times we realize we are not as competent and self-sufficient as we would like to think. Sometimes God allows difficult circumstances so we trust in God alone.

So often it is the sorrows and hardships of our lives which bring us to a point of seeking God, either for the first time or a subsequent time. C.S. Lewis explains it this way, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. So, what should you do when you’re going through difficult times? Refuse to be discouraged. Remember God is with you.

Rely on God’s protection and guidance.

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Your Wonderful Deeds for us are too Numerous to List!

​God has wonderful things prepared for your future! Even though you might be facing some circumstances that seem unfair, or things aren’t going the way you planned, God’s good plan still remains. Remember, in order to keep your life moving in the right direction, you need to keep your thoughts, heart and words moving in the right direction. The best way to do this is by declaring His wonderful deeds! When you start recounting all the ways God has blessed your life, just like the psalmist in this passage below, you’ll find that His goodness goes beyond what you could ever imagine. Have a wonderful day as you remain in His presence. Love you all in Christ. 

“O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.” Psalm 40:5

Each day we encounter a variety of situations; it is our reactions to them that make all the difference. We have a choice to make as we face each problem. Sure, we can’t control what others do or the trouble we may face, but we can decide where we are going to fix our attention.

Sometimes we are inclined to dwell on the bad things, being quick to list every conflict, adversity, and affliction we have faced and are facing, all the while neglecting to see the grace and mercy of God in them. We have a choice to make, to either focus on the trouble itself, or the work God is performing in the middle of it. Fixing our eyes upon the grace that leads us; the mercy and forgiveness that has been extended towards us; and all that we glean, as God safely brings us through. God indeed has and is doing great things.

Right now, take a moment and think about all the goodness in your life. Declare His deeds and focus your thoughts on Him. Keep your words and thoughts going in the right direction so you can keep moving forward into the abundant life He has promised you!

“Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

Do you ever feel like your faith and trust in God begins to waiver? Do you feel doubt nibble at your heart and mind? It happens to  many of us at one point or another through life. Frustration and discouragement are usually the result. When that happens you often begin to neglect praying, quietly wondering if it makes any difference after all. Sometimes gathering with other believers begins to slip by as well. God understands how fragile we can be and how our faith can waiver. That’s why He addresses it so specifically in His word, the Bible. 

“Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 

If we want your faith to be strengthened it is clear that you must not neglect God’s Word in your lives. A lukewarm heart toward God’s word and a doubting mind go hand in hand. Don’t let yourself drift away from God’s Word. Don’t let your Bible go unopened for days.

To grow in your faith you must expose yourself to God’s truths in the Bible. You can’t know what God has to say to you if you’re not in His word. When you are in a valley it is especially important to give God opportunity to speak to you.

If doubt in your God is invading your heart and mind these days, do a check. Where is your Bible? Chances are you have allowed your heart and your relationship with God to become lukewarm. Lukewarm-ness and doubting are partners.

Spend time reading God’s Word. Start in the book of John or a Psalm a day along with a Proverb or use a good devotional book based on Scripture. Always ask God’s Spirit to open your heart and mind to receive what He has to show you. Take some time and let God know the discouragements of your heart and ask Him to speak to you. Your faith will grow as you hear and believe the Word of God.

God does not Grow Weary!

​Are you heading into this day just flat out exhausted? Is there some great weight upon you that you just can’t seem to lift? Maybe there is something in your life that you have been dealing with for some time, and there seems to be no end in sight. Have no fear, for our God does not grow weary. He knows exactly what you’re going through. Even though it may not be time to release you from this trial, He will give you strength to endure. If you try to handle these life moments on your own you grow weary and collapse under the pressure. Scripture says even the youth will faint, and young men fall exhausted. So what do do? Seek God everyday, and allow Him to renew your strength. Have a wonderful day as you remain in His presence. 

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 

When we wait upon the Lord, and seek His face every moment of every day and He will lift us up. I know it’s so difficult this is in our fast food, 4G society. It is in our nature to look for instant relief. We seek to find the instant solution and why not? No one wants to suffer.

God will renew your strength until it is time for this trial to be over. In Him you will not fall, you will not grow weary. Will you still feel the pain of your journey? Yes. Will it still seem like the world is crashing in on you, it might, but in the arms of Jesus you will be held safe and strong until this storm passes.

Let us praise God! Let us sing songs glorifying His wonderful name! Even in your storm, let us sing Hallelujah, for He is with you. He is supporting you, and you know that your prayers will be answered in His time. The storm will not last forever, but the Love God has for you will last for all eternity. So when this storm does pass, His love will be right there showering down on you, blessings in abundance!

Remain in His Love!

​Living carefree in the love of God is doable and real. It’s the kind of life that Jesus lived on earth and the life He desires for each of us. But many believers are powerless and full of anxieties rather than love because they do not faithfully practice fellowship with God. They simply stand in the shadow of God, but don’t draw near. Perhaps they feel confused, abandoned, betrayed, or afraid of God. Or maybe they just stay too busy to draw near. This is not the Lord’s desire. He longs to be with us. Have a wonderful day as you remain in His perfect love. Love you all. 

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” John 15:9.

To really experience the loving personality and presence of God, we have to spend time with Him. Knowing about God and knowing Him personally are two different things. We can read the Bible and acquire knowledge about God’s love, but that doesn’t mean we will experience it in an intimate way. Knowing about someone and being involved in a relationship with them are two very different experiences.

I don’t know about you, but I surely don’t want to simply know about God and His love. I WANT TO SHARE IN IT. I want to open my heart to God by telling Him about my hurts and my joys. I also want to know what’s on His heart too. I desire to hear from Him instead of doing all the talking myself.(I KNOW THAT’S DIFFICULT FOR US) I want the kind of relationship that Christ had with His Father in heaven while here on earth. And, I can have that through abiding, and you can too.

Abiding in Christ means to remain in His presence daily – during every season and through every turn of life. Abiding takes more than a token prayer, reading a few biblical words, or singing some praise songs on Sunday.Today that connection may be about basking in his unconditional love. Tomorrow, it may be His strength that you relish. Whatever your need may be, you can find it in God’s presence daily.

Let the Holy Spirit guide your Life!

​If you’re a born-again believer the Holy Spirit is living inside you to guide and direct you, but the raging battle still exist within every believer: our own sinful nature versus the desires of the Holy Spirit. Who will win? In Galatians 5, Paul warns us that without a fight, we will do what comes naturally – following our own heart’s sinful inclinations and ultimately submitting to the folly of our own desires and influence. By doing so, we will not only experience the natural outcomes of our choice that lead towards destructive behavior, but we will also lose our heavenly inheritance. Have a wonderful as you remain in the presence of the Lord being led by the Holy Spirit. Love you all in Christ. 

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Galatians 5:16 

The great news is that as followers of Jesus, we do not have to live life that way! We can live a life guided by the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit directs and influences our decisions, our character will reflect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

So, how do we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives and influence our decisions?Later in the passage, Paul says that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature and its passions and desires, and he urges us that “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (verse 24).

Submit to the Holy Sprit’s influence: Let Him be your Master, set your pace, and be your life manager.  Let Him refine, correct, and discipline you. Live your life for Him – under His influence, supervision and power.

Real freedom is letting the LORD win the battle for control of your life.