Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 25, 2014

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, God's Promises, Holy Spirit, Temptation & Sin

WHAT SHIELDS US?

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. [Psalm 91:4 (NLT)]

When I was a girl, in the Cold War days, my school conducted fire, tornado and air raid drills. Leaving the building in case of fire made sense as did going to the basement in the case of a tornado. Cowering under our desks, however, would not have done much to save us from an atomic bomb! Do we tend to use equally flimsy defense tactics against Satan’s threats? Today, let’s choose to tap into God’s strength and put on His armor for protection.

DSC02124-Chillon-L Geneva-cropWEBBut let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. [1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NLT)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 24, 2014

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Fear & Doubt, Joy, Today: Make it Count, Worry

JOY TO YOU

This day is holy to God. Don’t feel bad. The joy of God is your strength! [Nehemiah 8:10b (MSG)]

From the moment we’re born, we’re already dying. Our task is to live life to the fullest until we die: to live while dying. I had a friend who recently passed away. I miss her, but my greatest sorrow is that, while she was alive, she was simply dying while living. Her mindset would have made Eyore in “Winnie the Pooh” look like an optimist. Instead of savoring each day as the gift it was, she could always find something about which to complain. Misery was her favorite color.

We can face each day with fear and dread, anger and disappointment, regret and resentment or we can face it with confidence and hope, love and joy, anticipation and excitement. The choice is ours and ours alone. Let God fill your heart with His love and peace. May the joy of the Lord be your strength this and every day.

There’s a decision we all have to make, and it seems perfectly captured in the Winnie-the-Pooh characters created by A.A. Milne. Each of us must decide: Am I a fun loving Tigger or am I a sad-sack Eeyore? Pick a camp. [Randy Pausch, from “The Last Lecture”]

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. [Philippians 4:8-9 (MSG)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 23, 2014

Posted under

Challenges & Difficulty, Prayer, Trusting God

DISTRESS CALLS TO HEAVEN

Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me. [Psalm 86:6-7 (NLT)]

If there is a medical emergency, we’re supposed to call 911 and trust the first responders to know what to do. Yet, when we encounter a personal problem, we often hesitate to call on the best first responder: God. Thinking we can fix every problem on our own, we try our personal version of first aid to keep the relationship from fraying, the child from straying, and the finances from failing. It’s often not until we make a total mess of things that we do what we should have done first: call on God! Why is God our last resort when he should be our first call? Today, I choose to trust God and call on him first.

But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. [Psalm 18:6 (NLT)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 22, 2014

Posted under

Forgiveness, Obedience

‘TIS EASIER SAID THAN DONE

Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us. [Matthew 6:12 (NCV)]

Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. [Matthew 6:14-15 (NCV)]

“All I want is an apology,” he said, “and then I’ll forgive him.” But that’s not how it works! Jesus said nothing about requiring an apology or waiting for amends to be made before granting forgiveness. In fact, God’s forgiveness is offered with a unique proviso: we have to extend forgiveness to others if we expect to receive it from God.

We have a god who loves us unconditionally and forgives us endlessly, but we also have a god who demands that we love others as much as ourselves and forgive them as ceaselessly as we are forgiven. We can’t have one without the other.

Lord, it’s so much easier to accept your forgiveness than to extend our own. Please, give us obedient, loving and forgiving hearts.

Forgiveness always seems so easy, when we need it, and so hard when we need to give it. [Dr. Jim L. Wilson, from “Fresh Start Devotionals”]

Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. Even more than all this, clothe yourself in love.Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. [Colossians 3:3-4 (NCV)]

 

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 20, 2014

Posted under

Fear & Doubt, Forgiveness, Joy, Prayer, Temptation & Sin

IT’S GARBAGE DAY

When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long. … Then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, “I will confess my sins to the Lord,” and you forgave my guilt. [Psalm 32:3, 5 (NCV)]

Most of us aren’t good at admitting when we’ve sinned or even misbehaved. In fact, some of us are pretty good at denying it altogether. When my children were small, the guilty party in our household always seemed to be someone named “Not me” or “I don’t know.” One child always said, “The fox did it!” Is it the fear of punishment or the fear of not being forgiven that so often prevents us from acknowledging our sins?

As a girl, whenever I was caught misbehaving or admitted to disobedience, I knew I could expect yelling, tears, humiliation, disgrace and punishment. Forgiveness wasn’t guaranteed and wrongs were often rehashed again and again. I knew I deserved the punishment, but it was forgiveness that I craved. So, like many people, I did my best to hide my problems, failures and transgressions. Hiding sins, however, is like hiding garbage; as the guilt and shame accumulate, sooner or later things are going to stink!

Our Heavenly Father  gives us a guarantee our earthly parents didn’t: unconditional forgiveness. It’s amazing how easy it is to confess one’s sins when assured of forgiveness. Today, if there is any guilt or shame stinking up your life, confess your sins to God and be restored. There’s no secret so shameful and no sin so vile that He won’t forgive. Toss the disgusting garbage of past transgressions and start fresh today.

Father, help us acknowledge our wrongs and accept responsibility for our transgressions. Listen to our litany of offenses as we offer our confessions to you. Empty our lives of guilt and shame; fill us with joy at your merciful love and promised forgiveness.

When God forgives us and purifies us of our sin, He also forgets it. Forgiveness results in God dropping the charges against us. [Billy Graham]

If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done. [1 John 1:8-9 (NCV)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 18, 2014

Posted under

Challenges & Difficulty, Patience & Perseverance, Wisdom & Guidance

WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST

2014-6-18 2-crop

In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our trouble. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up. [2 Corinthians 4:8 (GW)]

Lord, give us the wisdom to know when we just need to push our way through or even climb over the obstacles in our lives and give us the strength to do it. Please Lord, also give us the wisdom to know when it simply makes more sense to find our way around life’s obstacles. Give us the fortitude and willingness to try Plan B, and when that doesn’t work to try Plan C or even D. Thank you for your guidance, strength and encouragement. With you, all things are, indeed, possible!

The key to life is how well you deal with Plan B. [Stephen Dias]

I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. [Philippians 4:13 (GW)]

2014-6-18