Refuge in the Storm

I don’t like going through difficulties, but I suppose I couldn’t know God as my refuge if I never went through a storm. Jesus, You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust (Psalm 91:12). Today I will trust You, God, as my refuge.

Psalm 139:9-10 “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Both verses NIV)
No matter where we are, God will guide us and hold onto us. He will strengthen and help us and hold us up. So why do I whine, complain, or try to run from the troubles God allows for me? Do I imagine that God is going to train me and use me without getting me out of my comfort zone? Or do I cling to unbelief so that these sure promises become just words and wishful thinking in my life? Sadly, sometimes I do. These foolish thoughts, bad attitudes, and lack of faith don’t please God, nor do they bring Him glory. So I repent. I turn from these old ways and choose to believe the truth of God’s Word.
Gracious Father, Your ways really are better than mine. Mighty Holy Spirit, please help me change. Amen.

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A Spirit of Power

In the New King James Version, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” It is almost the same in the New Living Translation: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Yes! God has given me His Holy Spirit. He, being the third Person of the Holy Trinity, certainly is full of power and love, and He works in me to get my wild thoughts under control and to take my upside down thinking patterns and set them right.

Because this Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (or self-discipline) lives in me, I can:
 Do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
 Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
 Keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
 Keep my mind stayed on God, trusting in Him. (Isaiah 26:3)
 Go into each day with courage and confidence. (Joshua 1:9)
 Bring glory and honor to God every day. (Isaiah 61:3)
 Consider the interests of others as more important than my own.(Philippians 2:4)
 Develop the humility of Christ in thoughts and attitudes.(Philippians 2:5)

Ephesians 5:18, Amplified Bible: “…Ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.”

Our Wonderful God

Isaiah 40:25 “‘To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?’ asks the Holy One.”

I see beautiful clothes, lovely and fair,
But consider the cardinal, dressed beyond compare.
Who made the cardinal and dressed him so fine?
Our great Creator, the Lord of design.
What art of man compares to what God has done?
Or what feat matches His power? There’s not even one.

Lord, You are awesome, sovereign over all.
Yet You’ve chosen to love us, both great and small.
Your wisdom is broader than the universe vast,
And Your power is stronger than imagination can grasp.
Your mercy and favor, Your grace and Your love—
Overwhelming and humbling, such gifts from above!

Walking in His Love
Colossians 3:12-13 “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”
Knowing I am beloved to God puts joy and love in my heart. The more I’m rooted in this truth, the more I can be merciful, kind, and forgiving to others. The more I recognize His magnificence, might and total adequacy and my own powerlessness and inadequacy, the more I want to praise and thank Him and bring Him glory.

(Both Scriptures New Living Translation.  Picture courtesy Public Domain image.com, Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, creator.)

Encouraged in the Lord

     Once when Saul and his army pursued David, David and his men lived for over a year in the Philistine town of Ziklag. At one point, the Philistines prepared to go to battle with Israel. The Philistine king Achish asked David and his men to go with them, which they were going to do. However, the Philistine commanders rejected David, so King Achish sent him and his men back to Ziklag. But when David and his army got home three days later, they found that the Amalekites had attacked Ziklag and had taken as prisoners all the people remaining there, including women and children. (From 1 Samuel 27-30)
“Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. …6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:4, 6)
One teacher connected verse 6 above to Ephesians 5:18-20 (“…Instead [of being drunk with wine], be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”). We can encourage not only ourselves, but also others, in the Lord our God.
Dear Father, when distressing things happen, let me encourage and strengthen myself in YOU. Oh may I quickly turn to You and seek and wait on You so my strength can be renewed (Isaiah 40:31)! Yes, as I trust in You, I find that inner peace that enables me to face what life throws at me. You, Lord, are my joy, source of strength, victory, and song. Amen.
(Scriptures are New King James Version).

Free from the Pit–Part 2

I need to “watch and pray” so I won’t enter into temptation (Luke 22:46). I must be on the alert because my adversary the devil roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). I’ve let him devour me far too many times by listening to the thoughts he wedges in—thoughts of guilt, failure, regret, anger, and disappointment to name a few. Before long, I’m down in a bog of hopelessness.
I could get out of the bog quicker if I’d remember things like God’s mercies being new every morning and God’s unfailing, eternal love for me and other good things before the evil thoughts start building on themselves.
“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” –2 Corinthians 10:5 New American Standard Updated

God Is Good

When I think of Your goodness and all You’ve done for me,
I will speak and sing and shout my praise to Thee.

When I recall Your mercy, Your lovingkindness and Your grace,
I’m filled with longing to forever gaze upon Your face.

When I remember Your love and the greatness of Your power,
Though the enemy oppresses, I know that You are my strong tower.

More Than We Can Imagine

    In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul says that he prays for believers “16 that [God] would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height —  19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
                     (New King James Version)

      Verse 20 is often quoted in assurance of God’s ability to answer some request. But I’m thinking it applies more to the context in verses 16-19 than I’ve really considered before. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above—

•     Strengthening our inner man through His Spirit
•     Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith
•     Rooting and grounding us in love so we can comprehend the extent of Christ’s love
•     Our knowing from experience His love (which is really beyond understanding)
•     Our being filled with all the fullness of God

These were the things Paul prayed for the Ephesians, and it’s a wonderful prayer for us followers of Christ to pray for one another. Paul is saying that all glory belongs to God because He can do all this by His power working in the believers, and He can do far more besides.
Amen! Hallelujah!

Jesus, Anchor of My Soul

When stress stirs tumult in my soul,

And daily struggles take their toll,

Please Jesus, be my anchor!

When peace seems far away at best,

And life’s demands give me no rest,.

Then Jesus, be my anchor.

 

Yes, Jesus, anchor of my soul,

Jesus, my faith’s blessed goal,

Jesus, faithful anchor,

I cling to You. In You I trust.

So when the storms around me fuss,

You are my solid anchor!

 

Fears blow in, toss me about.

I look around, tempted to doubt.

Lord Jesus, be my anchor.

When sadness overflows my heart,

And Satan shoots his fiery darts,

O Jesus, be my anchor!

 

Yes, Jesus, anchor of my soul,

Jesus, my faith’s blessed goal,

Jesus, faithful anchor,

I cling to You. In You I trust.

So when the storms around me fuss,

You are my solid anchor!