When something breaks down or goes wrong, I sometimes have thoughts of blame. Even when I don’t have all the facts, my mind engages in negative reasoning, imagining worst case scenarios.
In those situations I need the Lord to help me realize that no matter what is happening, He is with me. My awareness of His presence enables me to put everything in proper perspective and experience His peace and joy.
The calming effect of knowing He will make every situation work for a positive outcome is immeasurably valuable. What, just moments before, seemed like a calamity of huge proportions miraculously becomes a simple ordinary event.
I am supremely grateful that the fellowship I have with the Lord grows increasingly more delightful in every adversity.
My hope and confidence is entirely in the Lord. His providence is what brought me to this point in my life and I am certain that He will guide me to the very end.
Knowing Him and experiencing His peace and joy are the greatest treasures I have. My life situation is continually changing but the Lord’s ways are consistent and bring me the stability I need to survive in a world that is seemingly more and more confusing and chaotic.
My life is in Him and nothing I possess is able to give me the satisfaction and contentment I find in God’s Kingdom.
I pray that He will have His way with me and that my greatest desire will be to abide continually in the conscious awareness of His presence.
As I read this verse, it was an amazing reminder to give God the glory for all things. I can look back at different times of my life where I was growing in significant ways in my understanding of God and my relationship with Jesus.
At times I became filled with myself, becoming a “know it all,” so to speak. I would correct others’ ideas or theology when I disagreed. It became more of a me-centered growth of what I knew and could accomplish. In that season, I know that I created distance between myself and others and possibly was a deterrent for them to desire more of Jesus.
I’m reminded as I grow that the primary focus is to give God all of the glory for the furthering of His kingdom. May God continue to give us His knowledge and grace as we strive to grow in understanding His will and direction for our lives. To God be the glory!
Life is full of decisions. Decisions that many times affect people around us. Whether that’s family, friends, co-workers, etc…the way we navigate life has a rippling effect on others. This is why seeking wisdom as we navigate life is crucial. Psalm 111:10 reminds us that if we are to be wise, we must first fear the Lord.
As we submit ourselves to God and bow to His will, His wisdom is granted. Wisdom given by God will lead us to a place that removes us from the center of focus and replace us with His will, work, and others. When we fear the Lord, our decisions are an overflow of that. That fear will lead to a life that reflects the goodness and grace of God, pointing others around us to Him.
Father, help us to fear you in a way that allows others to see you in a very real and authentic way.
Some of the most memorable encounters I have had with God have been in moments of worship. It was in those moments that I knew God was growing something in me. As we pour worship out to Him, He is faithful in filling us up in return, providing clarity and a sense of fulfillment. That sense of hope and belonging is a gift from God, who has created us to be in relationship with Him, experiencing His steadfast love.
My prayer is that today we take time to worship God, not for what we need or want Him to do, but for what He has already done and that He is simply enough.
Over the years, there have been many different voices of influence in my life. Some of which have been amazingly impactful for good by speaking truth. At times it may not have been what I wanted to hear, or a motivational “feel good” speech, but it is what I needed. It’s what my heart and spirit yearned for… simply put, I was in need of truth, not just a Pat on the back.
Our culture is filled with so many different voices of differing ideologies, views, and theology. It is of the utmost importance that we turn to the truth found in God’s word, trusting that His spirit will give us discernment of what is true and how we should apply it to our lives. Thank You, God for the teaching of truth that is solely found in you. May you give us the wisdom to put those voices of influence to the test by the power and truth found in your word.
When I read these two verses of Acts, I am reminded of one simple yet profound truth — before God desires my works or talents, He desires my heart. When our hearts are devoted to God, that leads to a devotion towards community, prayer, scripture, and receiving teaching of God’s word.
That devotion allows us to see and experience amazing and supernatural acts of God’s Spirit bringing forth salvation, healing, redemption, reconciliation, and activation. From there comes a deep feeling of awe. A feeling of comfort and amazement at how God works and moves in His creation. It is at that point that God begins to move through us to impact and serve others.
May we find rest in that God truly does desire our hearts, and that we experience Him more fully before He desires our doing. Thank you God for caring enough for us in pursuing who we are in you, rather than what we can do.
For many years it was difficult for me to understand the paradox that the Lord is both inclusive and exclusive.
He never keeps a person out of His Kingdom because of race, nationality, gender, age or any other distinguishing feature. Whosoever will may come and drink from His fountain of life.
At the same time, He prohibits anyone from coming any other way than through the cross of Jesus Christ. If there was another way, He would have spared Jesus the agony and excruciating form of death He endured.
That is the offense of the cross and the reason for resistance to the gospel. God appears to be exclusive by refusing to allow anyone to come to Him by their own righteousness. As the creator of all things, He alone has the right to determine how people are reconciled to Him.
I thank God for His ingenious plan of redemption that enables me, a sinner, to experience His peace and joy, and maintain your perfect justice.
Nothing is more important than continually abiding in fellowship with the Lord. Living in His presence, consciously aware of Him and His Kingdom, gives me all of the light and understanding I need to work through any adversity that comes my way.
There is no problem for me to solve because He always has the perfect solution. I can unconditionally trust Him to make every situation work in harmony with Him to accomplish His purpose.
Every situation in which I experience worry, doubt or fear is a simple reminder that I am leaning on my own understanding instead of trusting the Lord. Now that I know the secret of living continuously and victoriously over every circumstance, I am free from fear, bitterness, resentment, anger, frustration, ambition and every form of discontentment.
My future is in God’s hands and I know He will guide me, one step at a time, to walk with Him through the mountains and valleys that are ahead of me.
God at the head as our faithful promise-keeper, a strong hope that we can hold onto in all seasons, and believers consistently around us to spur us on. That sounds like pretty encouraging and secure systems for our lives.
Even so, I know there are times for me when it’s much more difficult to stay in community. Circumstances, busyness, insecurity, hurt, and pride are just some of the things that can make gathering together feel inconvenient, difficult, or unnecessary. However, I’ve watched how God has used others to accomplish things in my life in ways that I had not been able to do on my own. The enemy causes division and disunity but God‘s desire is for His people to live in harmony together.
Ironically, harmony requires the hard stuff. It requires forgiveness and conflict resolution and denying ourselves and being pushed out of our comfort zones. Yet the fruit of unity can be the best example for the not-yet believing world to see who God is and what He and His people are about.
