Category Archives: Faith & Hope

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October 25, 2013

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Faith & Hope, Prayer, Trusting God

Do You Ever Want to Run Away?

I said, “If only I had wings like a dove – I would fly away and find rest. Indeed, I would run far away. I would stay in the desert. I would hurry to find shelter from the raging wind and storm.” [Psalm 55:6-8 (GW)]

Do we ever outgrow the urge to run away from it all when life gets really messy or complicated? We may not literally pack our bags but we do quit our jobs, change where we live, disconnect from those who love us, retreat into work or the internet, or even get a divorce. Some people escape by turning to obsessive or addictive behavior. We may run from our problems by concealing our feelings, hiding behind a façade of serenity, or even by denying their very existence, thinking if we don’t admit them we won’t have to face them. Instead of running away, however, we need to run to someone; we need to run to God!

But I call on God, and the Lord saves me. … Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble. [Psalm 55:16, 22 (GW)]

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. [Corrie ten Boom]

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October 22, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, Patience & Perseverance

Success

May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. [Psalm 20:4 (NLT)]

If our plans are those of God, we will, indeed, succeed!

May you be blessed with success in all your endeavors today. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! [Psalm 90:17 (NLT)]

Judge your success by the degree that you’re enjoying peace, health, and love. [From “Life’s Instructions for Wisdom, Success, and Happiness”, by H. Jackson Brown Jr.]

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October 20, 2013

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Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, Love & Works

Faith Alone Saves Us

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!” [Luke 7:70 (GW)]

Lord, thank you for your saving grace. It would be easier, however, if we could buy or work our way into heaven. Deeds or writing checks are over and done with but maintaining a relationship with you means work. Faith is a tough requirement, because it requires complete trust in you. We have to give you the reins to our lives. Relieve our fears so that we fully accept this beautiful gift you so readily offer.

Be a man of faith, and faith will sustain you.
Sustain a life of love, and love will embrace you.
Embrace God’s grace, and His grace will follow you.
Follow in His footsteps, and His footsteps will lead to life everlasting.
[Christine Lahee]

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October 9, 2013

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Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love

God’s Prescriptions

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. [Romans 8:35,37 (NLT)]

When life hurts, when we are in pain or trouble, suffering or desolate, desperate or depressed, does that mean God doesn’t love us? No! God love us and will never abandon us. Anything that brings us to our knees and makes us call out to Him can’t ever be a bad thing!

Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust his skill and thank him for his prescription. [Sir Isaac Newton]

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September 30, 2013

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Faith & Hope, Prayer

Let us Pray

2013-9-30So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)]

Thank you, God, for hearing our prayers. May we approach you both reverently, as we would a king, and confidently and honestly, as we would a dear friend.

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! [Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)]

 

 

 

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September 28, 2013

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Faith & Hope, God's Promises, Prayer

He Can’t Carry Our Burdens if We Don’t Let Him

Thanks be to the Lord who daily carries our burdens for us. God is our salvation. [Psalm 68:19 (GW)]

God will carry our burdens, but only if we are willing to give them to Him. Sometimes, physically handing them over makes it easier to do just that. Try writing out those concerns that are weighing heavy on your heart and placing them in a small box. When the lid is closed on the “Leave it to God” box, release the problem, worry and anxiety to our Lord. Continue to pray about your concerns, but let God carry the burden and do the worrying. The problems will eventually resolve in God’s time and in His way. Until that happens, however, the weight of worry and apprehension are no longer being lugged on your shoulders and in your heart. It really doesn’t matter how you release your burdens to Him; the important thing is to do it!

Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. [Matthew 11:28 (GW)]

Perhaps what our Father would have us learn is that worry is not for Him to take away, but for us to give up. [From “Vital Signs” by Kathy Herman]