storms – A Safe Harbor is Jesus

Weathering the Storms of Life!

Do you know that every problem and troubling situation believers face in this life is allowed by God for a specific purpose. He is working out something far greater than what appears to be happening as He guides the process of transforming you into the image of Christ. Your faith is being sharpened as a sword to equip you for the battles of this world. The path of victory has already been set and there is nothing that can destroy a believer who has put his faith in the cross of Jesus. We are commanded to be anxious for nothing and no one. But, is that still possible when the darkness of the storm surrounds us? Yes God can deliver us from the storms of life or take us through them, giving us the strength and courage we need. Do you find yourself in a storm today? Ask God for the strength and courage to weather it and for the wisdom to understand it, not waste it.

“He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! Psalm 107:29-30

The truth is that the strength to endure every painful trial is with you in Christ. You may be feeling weary and completely overwhelmed but the bible tells us that God is close to the broken-hearted and he is near to us in our pain. He does not abandon you when your situation is bleak. As you lift up your fears to him in thankfulness and prayer, you allow his power to be unleashed in your life as he takes your struggle and makes it work into his perfect plan for you. God knows your weaknesses and has seen your failures yet his power is more than enough to take you safely through. You may be wounded but you will never be destroyed!

Take heart my friends and know without a doubt the struggles and trials you suffer are always an opportunity for God to reveal his power to you. It is being worked out in the timing of God who already knows the outcome. Each time a painful situation brings you to your knees, use that position to give glory to God! It frustrates the devil when you do. Never let the enemy convince you to surrender in the heat of battle for you are nowhere near being defeated. You have been made more than a conqueror through Christ and he is not about to let you fail.

God is the Anchor of our Soul!

We need to continually come to God, as He was meant to be the center of our consciousness, the Anchor of our soul. Sometimes our mind will wander from His presence, but the question is how far will you allow it to wander. As you drift away from Him, His Spirit within you gives a tug, prompting you to return to His presence. As you become increasingly attuned to His presence, the length of rope on your soul’s Anchor is shortened. You wander only a short distance before feeling that inner tug – telling you to return to your true Center in Him.

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor of our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Hebrews 6:19

We need to thank the Lord that He is the Anchor of our soul. I pray that we don’t seek these things from earthly means – status, jobs, money, relationships, etc. because these things are so temporary and could be taken away at any time. I pray that you truly see God as your only choice for securing your boat in a storm. Your boat may be tossed and turned, the life jackets may be thrown overboard, the emergency response system may malfunction, but as long as you maintain your intimate relationship with Him, the rope that connects to the anchor will be strengthened and the weight of the anchor will hold your boat steady no matter how big the waves may be. He also control the waves and the storm and He only allow these things to rock your boat to test your perseverance which is defined as: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. He is refining you and growing you in your walk through this sanctification process and only then do you become more mature in Christ. This is the ultimate goal: To look more like His Son, Jesus.

Have a wonderful day in the presence of the Anchor of our Soul. Please share with others and please find me on Facebook. God’s blessings be upon you today and always!

God is Still Good!

This message is for everyone to reflect on…

At some point in life we all face hardships. It may be something physically or emotionally challenging. Or it may be a dream or an opportunity that we missed out on. Whatever your difficulty is, don’t let it discourage you from believing in God’s best. The enemy wants to keep you focused on everything negative that’s happened, but don’t let him steal the dreams God has given you. He knows that if he can deceive you into thinking things won’t get better, you’ll lose hope and give up. There will always be obstacles trying to keep you from becoming all God’s created you to be, but God has given you a promise for good and not harm. He has plans for better things ahead. It’s important to believe God and keep an attitude of faith despite your circumstances. Choose today to hold on to God’s promises no matter what your situation looks like. Refuse to give up on the plans He has made for your life. God knows what challenges you’ve faced, and He has a way to turn things around for your good. Start thanking and praising Him for what He’s already done and what He will do.

Do you Need Rest from the Burdens that you are Carrying?

This message is for anyone who needs rest from their burdens that they are carrying.

Are you soul weary? Are you having a difficult time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? Is your heart heavy for someone right now? Do you just need a moment of rest, a moment to breathe, a moment to escape the downpour in your life? Jesus has the answer. He has made a way for you then just thank Him for always being there for us and giving us the rest we need to move forward.

“Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Do you ever feel like the world is crashing down around you? Like, if one more thing goes wrong you will collapse under the weight of it all? Where you are so stressed out, it just seemed like everything was going wrong. Have you ever felt that way or is that how you’re feeling at this moment? Where it seems like your life is all planned out for you and you don’t feel like you can live up to expectations. Or maybe it’s something different, but equally as weighty. It doesn’t matter what it is, Jesus calls us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened. We shouldn’t wait until it feels like we have the time, we need to make the time.

Just take a few moments to pray or open your Bible and read His Word. As soon you do this and take that time today and each day, and as soon as you turn to Christ you will feel so much better! You will feel peace~ His peace! But you have relinquish it all to Him and don’t pick it back up. You see, when we take that time to come to Him, He gives us rest. He lifts the weight off of our shoulders, and reminds us that it really is in His hands and that we need to trust Him. That doesn’t mean that everything will be downhill from there, it just reminds us that no matter how many bad things happen, He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

So do you feel weary or burdened at this moment? Are you trying to handle it all on your own, or are you going to Jesus to get rest from the world? When you feel weary or burdened, like you just can’t keep going, go to Jesus. Take a moment to pray, or step back from life for a moment and open your Bible. Bring it to Him He will comfort and guide you. He will give you rest. Right now, in the midst of that worry or issue or concern, the God of the universe is asking you to turn it over to Him. Let Him work it out in His timing and His perfect way.

Please share this blog with others so that they may know Christ and His Father’s unending and ever faithful love! Thank you and God bless you! Please visit me on Facebook as well!

Weathering the Storms of Life!

“He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! ~~Psalm 107:29-30

***************************************************************Please share this blog with others so that they may know Christ and His Father’s unending and ever faithful love!

Wait quietly before God, for our Hope is in Him!

In this psalm David pours out his heart to God, describing his difficulties, the enemies that are trying to kill him, and the lies and curses others have spoken against him. But on the battlefield of life, in the midst of every trouble, David has a Godward focus. He is honest about his complaints and problems, but he has purposed to direct his gaze to the God of all faithfulness, putting his trust in the One who alone is his rock, salvation, fortress, and refuge.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” ~~Psalm 62:5-8

We too, like David then can wait quietly before God when we put our hope, and our very life, in the Lord’s hands. We can’t trust in human nature because it is no more secure than a breath. We can’t put our hope in riches because wealth will not save us. Our hope, confidence, and trust need to be solely in the Lord Almighty. If, like David, we are waiting for God to act when we are in the midst of trouble, we can wait frantically or impatiently. But to wait quietly in hope takes a deep confidence in knowing the One we are waiting for. He will never disappoint us.

Have you ever felt like David? Surrounded on every side by troubles, feeling like you need a refuge in the middle of an angry storm? Then do what David did: “Wait quietly before God”. Place all your hope in Him, He is in control no matter how out of control you may feel. When you recognize that, then you can wait patiently as he works through the situation. No matter what comes your way, God is your rock, your salvation, your fortress where you will not be shaken. Run to His fortress and wait there. You can trust him to care for you, no matter how fierce the storm may be.

Have a wonderful Christ-centered day.

Nothing too hard….

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“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27

We often have a difficult time seeing how all the pieces of God’s plan fit together. He leads us down a path and we fail to see the purpose – especially when the enemy begins to attack. We want to fight back, but God says to patiently trust Him and pray. We want to determine a solution and solve the problem, but God says to love Him with all our heart and share His love with others.

The times in which we are most tested and pressed down ought to be the times of greatest growth and closeness with our Heavenly Father. When it seems we have no where else to turn, we ought to rejoice and trust Him even more! Let’s put our life firmly in His Hands and submit to His guidance – even when we may not see where we are going or how we will get there. Let’s trust His ways and always remember…for God, there is NOTHING too hard!

Be an Eagle!

When you are sitting in the storm, when you have been praying and feeling as though your prayers are hitting the ceiling, don’t give up! I can’t stress this enough! DO NOT GIVE UP! God has a way of teaching us things we need to learn during that storms and as hard as it may be to endure the storm, it is the faith we have, the praise we give, the trust in God which we rely on that helps to get us through that storm and I can promise you – that storm will end and if you continue to endure as God would have you endure it, you are becoming more than a conqueror. You become stronger through Christ who strengthens us. We are weak but He is strong. Then the next time that storm rolls around you now are stronger, wiser and more able to see that you are more than a conqueror; so much more than the last time which helps you, but it also makes God proud and smile at His child to see how much you grow each time a storm comes around. Stand strong and believe in yourself and rely on God and DON’T GIVE UP!!! It is called perseverance! When all other animals run and hide in the storm remember the eagle who spreads its wings and waits for the storm winds to come and he is lifted and he soars. We should be like eagles and soar knowing that God will be carrying us.

When storms come we know some animals are sensitive to this, such as chickens who run for the hen house, dogs run for cover, but EAGLES!!!!…. Eagles spread their wings and wait for the approaching storms with their wings spread and once the storm arrives they are lifted up high and soar! Eagles are what we should be. Knowing that the winds of the storm that lift the eagles are really our faith and our belief and trust in God and that we should always rely on him during the storms to take care of us… you know what I mean? I want to be an EAGLE! Don’t you?

Strength for the Storm

No matter what storm rages in your life today no matter how fierce the winds or how high the waves may be – where you are is no surprise to God. Heaven is not in a panic. Keep your gaze on Him and your glance on the raging waters. “Lash yourself” to Him and He will supply everything you need to stand firm in the storm.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.”

Life is filled with storms of one kind or another. In the midst of those storms, we tend to respond as if God has somehow been caught off guard. The storm makes no sense. We can’t explain why terminal illness strikes godly people. We don’t understand how our strongest friends can become our fiercest critics. The anguish of a broken marriage or the overwhelming heartbreak of a prodigal child drives us to doubt God’s purpose, plan and provision. The fear of financial ruin paralyzes us. God understands.

God uses our trials and storms as tools of refinement to build in us endurance. The word “endure” comes from two Greek words that when combined, give the meaning “to remain under.” It is the capacity to stay under the load, to remain in the circumstances without running away or looking for the easy way out.

The purpose of every storm is to purify and cultivate endurance. Like Paul, we may sometimes feel as if we are being torn to pieces under the pressure of circumstances. But his challenge to the Romans compels us to re-examine our perspective and response to each storm we face. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation” (Romans 5:3-5 NLT).

Endurance is never passive. It is the picture of a soldier staying in the heat of the battle under terrible opposition but still pressing forward to gain the victory.

There are few things that we can count on in this unpredictable life – but we can count on storms to come. We can also count on God’s continual and unfailing strength for those storms. When the hard times come, when bad things happen, we do not have to wonder where God is. Instead we can hold on to the promise that is found in Jeremiah 16:19, “Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble” (NLT).

An old seaman once said, “In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way to survive. We must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

“This, my friends is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may — winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers — no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and his everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

Stand firm, knowing that God is Lord of every storm you will ever face.

Let Jesus calm your storms

He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! ~~Isaiah 26:3

While traveling by boat on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and His disciples encountered a violent storm. The waves were crashing over the boat so much it was beginning to fill up with water. Nevertheless, Jesus was at peace. He was fast asleep. But the disciples, seeing the storm, became overwhelmed. They woke Jesus up saying, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?'” (Mark 4:38-40). He was really asking, “Why are you afraid? Don’t you know who’s in the boat with you?”

When tragedy hits, it’s easy to look at the bigness of our circumstances and become overwhelmed. But like the disciples, focusing on the bigness of our circumstances can keep us from seeing the bigness of our God, and His ability to calm “the storm.” You see, even the strongest natural disaster, or most devastating tragedy is no match for the power of God. Isn’t it encouraging to know that Jesus is in the boat with you as you navigate the rough waters of life’s storms? He’s with you right now. You are safe and secure in His Hands. What’s more, He promised you His peace. He said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). Amid difficulties you can experience the peace of God—a peace that rises above our understanding (see Philippians 4:7). So, refrain from worrying, and allow His peace to comfort you.

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