“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
“I have learned to be content,” Paul wrote, “whether in plenty or in want. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The older I get, the more I find myself praying this verse as a prayer no matter what my circumstances are.
Christ Sustains Us.
Whether stricken with cancer, or holding a new baby in your arms. Whether losing a job or gaining a new career. Whether losing a loved one or walking down the aisle. You can do ALL things through Christ who promises to strengthen you. For it is Jesus Himself who said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you!”
Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.” John 20:29
Is faith just a fleeting thought for you? I know the feeling. I’ve lived through that time in my life. Times when God was the farthest thing from my mind. Life was all about the next party, or the next relationship, or the next paycheck, or the next car. Life was about what made me happy in the moment. A self focused life. And yet, somewhere deep in my mind the faith of my childhood lingered. The prayer I prayed to receive Christ at the age of five one night as my mother tucked me in was never really far away. Every minute of every hour
Christ Was Patiently Waiting.
He was always there, lingering in the background, waiting, excited to lovingly welcome me home. At unexpected times in a still small voice He would say, “when you are ready, come home”. Perhaps you know that voice, perhaps you don’t, but you can. After graduating from College I drove to California and found myself passing by the majestic peaks of Utah’s Monument Valley around sunset. With each new colorful vista all I could see was the handiwork of Almighty God. I wasn’t looking for Him that day but He was calling out to me with wonders I could not ignore. At one point on that long drive I heard Christ say in a still small voice, “How long are you going to run from me?” My life changed on that 900 mile, 18 hour drive. A drive that led me out of the wilderness I was making of my life and into a life of abundant faith. Faith came alive for me because I made a choice. I said yes. Perhaps that’s why this passage from John means so much to me. Many have said to me in the past 37 years since that 900 mile journey, “if only I had the faith of the disciples who knew and walked with Jesus, how different my life would be.” Yet here, in John 20:29 Jesus says directly to you, “blessed are you who have not seen me and yet you believe”. Faith is a choice you have to make alone. You are not forced into it. It is not made for you by another. You alone choose to believe. Yet how blessed you are when you do! Your Savior is calling. Choose faith today!
“He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.” Psalm 107:29
There is no burden you carry that is beyond God’s power to rescue you. There is no grief you feel that is beyond God’s tender voice to sooth. There is no stress heaped upon your shoulders that is beyond God’s gentle hand to lift away. God calms the storms so that its waves are still. It takes only the utterance of the name of the author of peace: Jesus. Cry out to Him in the middle of your storm and say, Jesus I need you. Say it in a whisper, Jesus draw near to me. Speak it silently in your mind, Jesus my Savior and my Friend. It does not matter how you call out to Him,
He Will Hear You.
“Now when He (Jesus) got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” Matthew 8:23-26. Call out to Jesus and He will draw near to you. The calm you so desperately seek is only a prayer away.
God said, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
The mere act of taking a deep breath into our lungs calms the nerves and relaxes the mind. Now it’s time for you to take that simple act of breathing to a level far beyond your imagination. As you take that deep breath, whisper the name of
Jesus
With each deep breath, simply say one name, Jesus. Invite the King of kings into your circumstance. “Call on Me,” God is saying to you, “and I will answer you” He promises. “And will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.”
What are you going through today? YOU, at home, or at work, or at school, sitting at your computer or reading this on your cell phone. What are you going through? Whatever it is, God has a word for you today!
“Be Still”
His word, not mine. His promise, not mine. He can lift your burden. He can calm your troubled heart. “Be Still“, He says. “know that I am God,” declares your Lord. He’s whispering it to you at this very moment. Let Him in. Let Him fill your life with a calm only God can give. Be not troubled by your daily life. There will always be one more thing to worry about. One more problem to solve, and that’s okay because your Creator has a word for you today. Be Still, and know that I am God.
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” Colossians3:2
I’m reading Colossians today and upon reaching Chapter 3 verse 2 my mind is instantly transported to one particular day not too long ago. On that day my alarm did not go off so I’m already late for a meeting. A car then cuts me off on the freeway at breakneck speed (his alarm must not have gone off either). My friend is going through a real struggle in his life and I’m not sure my council is helping. I’m still stressed about a doctor’s report I’d just received. Our lives are filled with stress and distress.
Help Is Closer Than You Think.
Jesus informed us in John 16:33 that “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” So how are we to be of good cheer with all we have to deal with, from little annoyances to life altering events? Jesus tells us to be of good cheer because He, through His grace and mercy on the cross, has overcome the world for us! Paul picks up on this theme by telling us to “set our minds on the things above, not on the things of earth”. In other words it’s time for you to see the big picture.The further you get above your problems the smaller they will seem. Life may not always be a bed of roses, but no matter what you are going through, Jesus is always there for you! Set your mind on things above, and the things of earth will soon start to look much different.
“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18
A few years ago a very interesting question was posed to me by my then seventeen year old daughter. She was finishing a school project and asked me the following question. “Dad, what would be your perfect world?” Without hesitating I immediately said Heaven. She smiled and said, No, here on earth, what would be the perfect world for you. I quickly said a world without war. She smiled again and said, no Dad, understand that sin still exists and that you can’t control the sin or the lives of others. Now, what would be your perfect world? The question posed by my daughter that night needled me for years because the question is profound. Deeply profound. Knowing we can’t simply control sin in the lives of others, and that others will have radically different visions of what the world should look like, how does that affect our choices and how we live our lives?
What Does Your Perfect World Look Like?
Romans 12:18 cuts right to the heart of this question. “If it is possible, as much as depends on YOU, live peaceably with all men.” The Apostle Paul is saying we have a choice. We can choose love, peace, and patience or we can choose bitterness, gossip and retaliation. For me, the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had are after a day of practicing love, peace and patience. Give it a try. After all, what do you want your perfect world to look like?
“The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore. Psalm 121:8
“Life happens” is a quote you hear a lot whether something good or bad happens. I have to say that I do not subscribe to random thinking. God is a God of purpose and planning. Just take a look at the incredible detail that he poured into a flower petal, or a snow flake, or for that matter our DNA strand. Such an incredibly creative Creator would not just leave things to chance. I guarantee you He doesn’t. Don’t believe me, then read Psalm 121:8 for yourself.
Nothing In Our Lives Is Left To Chance.
But what about the age old question, why do bad things happen to good people? Quite frankly, I’ve thought about this question a lot throughout my life and I’ve come to the conclusion that it comes down to trust. For we in fact live in a fallen world that started with one bite of a forbidden apple in the garden of eden. Trust is the antidote to that bite. Trust in a God who has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Trust in Jesus as Savior in life after death. Trust that the Lord has our back no matter what hits us, for He will indeed “preserve your coming and going”. There is contentment that comes with trust beyond that which I can explain to you. You really have to experience it for yourself. The decision to trust is yours. It’s the best decision you will ever make.
“Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord…There is hope in your future!” Jeremiah 31:16
How do you react when your life veers off course? When you are faced with a set back in your health, in your finances, in your family life, how do you react? I’m no stranger when it comes to crying out to God. There have been many times that I felt like the sky was falling. Yet every time, not sometimes, not occasionally, but every single time I’ve faced a set back my weeping turns to praise. This is not just something that happens by accident, I make a choice to do so because
God Is Infinite Love And Grace.
God is worthy of praise no matter what you are going through. He is worthy of praise no matter what your circumstances are. He is worthy, period! Try it for yourself. When faced with a setback, or a fear, or a worry, start praising God. Praise till your fears subside. It may take minutes, it may take hours, and for some it make take days, but all too soon you will feel His tender touch upon you. You will hear God say to you, “dear child, refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears for your work shall be rewarded. There is hope in your future for I am your God!“
Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
For me, the ultimate comfort food is a Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Sinking my teeth into that combination of buttery grilled bread and warm melted cheese has a way of providing waves of joy with every bite. We all need comfort in life, more than we care to admit, and I love the way Jesus provides to us the perfect comfort, every time, right where we need it most. With his words in Matthew 11:28, there are no disclaimers on the invitation. Jesus simply says,
If You Are Weary, Come.
Jesus doesn’t ask what you are weary from, because he already knows what your burdens are. He’s simply saying, trust Me. I know what you need, and I’m willing to provide it to you. You simply need to make a decision that you will trust Me to take care of it, and then rest as I do just that. Jesus promises the perfect comfort food for not just your soul, but for every part of your life. Trust Him. He is all you need.
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