Nature and Trust in God

Daily, we are assaulted with human reasoning and potential false wisdom. The solar eclipse and earthquakes shake the foundations of peace in our minds. Conversations at the grocery store or in our communities and families may bring more anxiety than peace. But who has the truth we need to hold onto for our moments of fear?

It is not found in any human. It is found in God and a relationship with His Son Jesus and the guidance of the Advocate, Holy Spirit! We must seek wisdom from His Word.

God‘s word is truth, but it never changes. His Word is power and He is the One who created everything that exists in this world. He is truly great and powerful. Everything on heaven and earth belongs to Him, regardless of what happens in the world: whether it’s a solar eclipse, whether it’s earthquakes, God is still over all things and that never changes. He is deserving of all praise.

Psalm 104 is filled with the amazing truths of our Creator God and how He made the heavens and earth. I had to include its scripture. Slowly, meditate on the verses and gain peace in knowing He orchestrated all things. Consider reading it aloud to hear its truths.

Psalm 104:2,5-35 NLT
You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; [5] You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. [6] You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains. [7] At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away. [8] Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. [9] Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth. [10] You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. [11] They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. [12] The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. [13] You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. [14] You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth- [15] wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength. [16] The trees of the LORD are well cared for- the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. [17] There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses. [18] High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes. [19] You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. [20] You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about. [21] Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God. [22] At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest. [23] Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening. [24] O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. [25] Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. [26] See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. [27] They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. [28] When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. [29] But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. [30] When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth. [31] May the glory of the LORD continue forever! The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made! [32] The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch. [33] I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! [34] May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. [35] Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

All glory to Him who sits on the throne of heaven. We are like a footstool to Him and yet He loves us so much.

We must not be shaken at natural signs and wonders. He who made all things is in control.

Psalm 132:7 AMP
Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool.

We must remember to choose faith in Him over fear. The enemy would love to unsettle our minds and bring unbelief. We must stand firm in God and His Word. It is a life guiding template for all people.

2 Timothy 1:7 AMP
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

We don’t know what tomorrow may bring to our lives. But we do know our Creator God has all things in the palm of his hand. Seek Him in relationship today! Open your heart, mind and spirit to His wisdom and be changed.

Photo credit by pexels.com

Blinded

Our weather patterns have been so manic lately! One day, the sun shines, the temperature is balmy, the next day, a snow storm ( or what’s lately called polar vortex) takes over the region. Another day, we have found a dense fog that seems to hover for more than just a morning. This dense fog stayed into the evening with scattered areas of fog in the valleys and bright sun in the hilltops.

The other day, as I was driving with a family member. We were struck by the comparison of the weather and our walk with God. It feels as if we are caught in a blind fog of climate and information. We may feel our anxiety raise its ugly head. We may feel short of breath, but we must push through to get to our destination.

Here’s a photo my daughter took for reference:

Driving through a dense fog brings uncertainty as we continue to accelerate to the unknown intersection. The dense fog is not much different than our walk with our God, Yeshua! We must fix our eyes into a future without seeing His physical form. We must trust Him in our steps.

We must have faith in the unknown. There are hazards along the way, our friends and family may express concern for our Jesus freak faith. We may be seen crazy as Noah,who built an ark even though there was no flood yet. We may be ostracized for our willingness to be bold as the Holy Spirit is guiding our words and actions.

John 12:37-41,43-50 NLT
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. [38] This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?” [39] But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, [40] “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts- so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.” [41] Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. [43] For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

Do you want to be caught blinded by the praise of men or the praise of God? Our hardened hearts are a block to our relationship with Jesus.

In John 12, we read further what Jesus said to the crowds. We must choose to follow Him, personally! No one can make this decision for us. Your parents walk with God does not cover you.

John 12: [44] Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. [45] For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. [46] I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. [47] I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. [48] But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. [49] I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. [50] And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”

Yeshua ( Jesus) came to save the world. He wants us to choose Him. Don’t reject His message for love and eternal life. He wants us to choose life over death. Open your heart, Open your eyes, cry out to the only One who can save, He loves you!

John 3:16-17 NLT
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF JESUS?

Have you invited Jesus into your heart? Now is the perfect time. Pray this sinner’s prayer found at Gotquestions.com.

“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen.”

We are dust!

Created from the dust, Adam was created by our Creator God! We are his descendents, we are dust! Just as the Lord breathed His breath of life into Adam, The same Creator God breathes life into us.

Deep breath! Go ahead take another deep breath! Breathe deep and slow to 4 counts! Now slowly release that loving lung filled oxygen, to a count of 7. Clear out the crud you may have been fighting to clear ( just like me this month), deep breathe and clear out the clogged bronchioles.

Awe, feel the awe of a cleared mind by a cleared lung. We have work to do. He knows how weak we are, He breathes His strength to heal.

Psalm 103:13-19 NLT
[13] The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. [14] For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. [15] Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. [16] The wind blows, and we are gone- as though we had never been here.

The wind blows, our days on earth are unknown. What are you doing with your time?

17] But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children [18] of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! [19] The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

He made the heavens and the earth! He made all things. He is faithful to His children. He is faithful to those who obey His commands. His love extends to those who fear Him, in reverence and awe.

Fear of God by Brooke Ligertwood. What a powerful anthem of the praise and power when we have the fear of God!

Fear of God

Brooke sings, “Lift up your voice if God has called you to, He will give you supernatural power to do the work He calls you to do”. The Word of God supports this promise from our Creator God.

Psalm 103:8-22 NLT
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. [9] He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. [10] He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. [11] For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. [12] He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. [13] The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. [14] For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. [15] Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. [16] The wind blows, and we are gone- as though we had never been here. [17] But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children [18] of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! [19] The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. [20] Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. [21] Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! [22] Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the LORD.

He knows we are weak, He gives love unconditionally, let me say it again, His love remains forever with those who fear Him (respect and honor)! Praise Him alone!

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT
[5] You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. [6] For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 4 reminds us, we are fragile clay jars but contain a great treasure. Our great power comes from God! Plug into the source of all Light and illuminate His power as you walk in His ways!

Sheep need a Shepherd!

Sheep are amazing creatures! They are cuddly cute as a lamb. They are sturdy in structure, they provide wool to bring warmth on a winters day. They follow other sheep blindly at times seeking a safe well fed environment.

However, sheep are also stubborn, don’t seek the easiest path, follow the leader, even if a fellow sheep goes near a cliff. They need a good shepherd to guide them. They need a poke by the shepherds staff to redirect their steps. They can run in fear and get lost.

Humans are no different! We are stubborn, don’t seek the best path, can be led to foolishness, in fear, we can take a cliff dive without meaning too.

John 10:1-16 NLT
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! [2] But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. [5] They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” [6] Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, [7] so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. [9] Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. [10] The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

The Lord is a Good Shepherd! Do not be afraid, He is our God! He wants you to lean into Him above all the noise! He is Almighty God!

He is the maker of heaven and earth ! The earth is His footstool! He wants all His children to come to Him and be saved!

Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

He gives His children multiple chances to seek His face. He is the Ancient of Days! He is the Alpha and Omega!!

Ancient Gates is a powerful song by Brooke Ligertwood. The lyrics speak of His greatness!

Ancient Gates by Brooke Ligertwood

My pastor shared this week about this concept, He is our Shepherd, He wants us to enter His gates so we can be safe with Him. Yes, our Shepherd may need to discipline our stupidity and foolish impulsive choices. However, our Shepherd loves us and sees His children.

John 10:11-16 [11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. [12] A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. [13] The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. [14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, [15] just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

Despite the multiple distractions the world or others bring, praise Him in the hills and valleys. Praise for Him pushes back the darkness!!! Enter His gate and be changed for His plans. So run to Him, He is ready with open arms to lead His sheep ( He is a good, good Shepherd)!

Stones

While I was listening to Stones by Kim Walker Smith, I took six medium stones and wrote a scripture reference, drew a cross, for example: We walk by faith in Jesus, As for my house we serve the Lord, No King but Jesus, etc, then I anointed each with frankincense essential oil with a cross and prayed over my house as I placed each stone at the corners of our home. Glory to God!

Stones in the Bible are a memorial to God after He has moved in the lives of His children. They exemplify God and His faithfulness.

Not in my strength do I cover my home but by the authority of Christ who is the Holy Spirit inside of me!

Stones by Kim Walker Smith

Psalm 55:19,22 GNT God, who has ruled from eternity, will hear me and defeat them; for they refuse to change, and they do not fear him. [22] Leave your troubles with the LORD, and he will defend you; he never lets honest people be defeated.

As for me, I will trust the Lord! Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the news; personal life or world events. We may feel fear creeping in but we are called to something bigger. The scriptures are filled with wisdom. There is perfect truth from God for every day.

This is a great scripture to memorize from the Message Bible, rewrite it on a post it note, make it a screenshot on your phone.

1 John 4:4-6 MSG
My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world’s language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.

For our lives and those of our family, those we love, we can take actions in faith of Jesus such as covering our home in His truth. We can say aloud the truth of God; His Word.

Father, May our faith grow in You alone. We want more of you! May we meditate on Your Word. May we open our lives to the Holy Spirit. We want to give You all parts of our life. In Jesus Name, Amen!

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Image by Pexels.com

Prepare

Cascade mountains breathtaking Photo by Mary Mesikapp

Prepare your minds for action! Exercise self-control!

1 Peter 1:13-25 NLT So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

Hiking in the Cascade mountains fills my mind, body, and soul. Exercise for the body brings a healthy physical state, and emotional stability and burns stress. The importance of preparing our minds for action is spiritual health and learning to exercise self-control with a fixed mind in Our Creator is a necessity. Our exercise plan must include seeking Jesus, and gaining spiritual muscle through His Word.

14] So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old living ways to satisfy your desires. You didn’t know any better then. [15] But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Our whole body and mind will be more content, and able to endure all life’s detours when we care for all parts of our body. Obedience to God and His direction is not punishment, it is a loving direction and at times discipline to be holy as He is holy. For life endurance, we must exercise this priority.

17] And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”

Reverent fear and awe of Our God will bring rewards. He is a just God and faithful to be trusted with your life. Our pride in following our own trail even when we see obstacles takes us from a peaceful hike. We miss the beauty when we trudge on with impulsive steps. Whether you are single or married, with children or not, it is the same message, preparation is crucial.

18] For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. [19] It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. [20] God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. [21] Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. [22] You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. [23] For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

In the description above, in 1 Peter, God paid a ransom for you, by sending Jesus to the earth as a bridge for our benefit. This bridge of Jesus’ death on the cross as He accepted all our sins is a fantastic love. Our relationship with Jesus is secure when we take this precious gift and treasure its purpose, we can live in love for each other. You can be born again, meaning, death to your sin and a new life in Christ.

24] As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. [25] But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

The Word of God is provided in the Bible as a passport if you will on the journey to your eternal destination, heaven. His Word is beautiful and remains forever. Your reward awaits!

Don’t be troubled

C. S. Lewis in his book ” The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, shares an interaction between Mr. Beaver and Susan, a young woman. It is a wonderful example of trusting without knowing the future. Aslan, the Lion, is the character that saves the kids and animals in this mysterious world. He speaks and acts for truth and against evil. He is powerful and gentle just like Jesus. I love the powerful message found in this conversation between Mr. Beaver and Susan, Mr. Beaver shared, “Aslan is a lion, -the lion, the great lion”. “Ooh”, said Susan, “I thought he was a man, Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”… “Safe,” said Mr. Beaver, “… who said anything about safe? ‘Course, He isn’t safe, but he is good. He is the King.”

We must trust our King Jesus. We must discover who He is, He is the Lion of Judah! He is for us not against us. He is safe and good. Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb.

John 14:1-4,6-7,10-11,30-31 NLT
[1] “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. [2] There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? [3] When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. [4] And you know the way to where I am going.” [6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [7] If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” [10] Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. [11] Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. [30] “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, [31] but I will do what the Father requires of me so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is preparing a place for you with our Father God. No matter what your eyes see, no matter what the world tells you, no matter how you feel about the future.

Our mind can not conceive what the future holds, however, we can trust the One who holds the future in His hands.

Even when Jesus walked the earth, there was unbelief. His disciples struggled to understand the wisdom Jesus shared in parables and sermons.

In the midst of trials, it can be hard to trust in something unseen. I have been there, however, I am amazed that I witnessed Jesus move in my detours and He kept me safe even in conflict, or at peace when I felt alone.

Jesus was in the midst of my life. I had to reach for the Lion. I am baffled yet intrigued by awe at the power of my Savior Jesus.

Lion is a powerful battle cry worship song by Chris Brown and Brandon Lake. This live version of “Lion”, is so Holy Spirit driven. I would be surprised if you don’t feel awe as you listen, then a prompting to sing as you join the chorus, Our God is amazing, He is the Lion of Judah. He can break through and save you from unbelief, fear, and your past. Let the Lion Roar and gain a beautiful perspective of hope, breakthrough, and acceptance as a child of God.

Revelation 5 5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Sometimes we have to gain faith in the unseen things, repeat our belief in the Power of God loudly, and hold onto Jesus! I don’t know the future but I know who does, He can be trusted with your life. All Hail the Lion of Judah! He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and power, forever!!

Mountains

Majestic mountains stand across the planet. Their massive rock foundations can reach for the sky, and the highest mountain is Mount Everest, at 29,032 feet, its located in the Himalayas. Everest is thought to be 50 to 60 million years old. Multiple Millions of years old, it has gone through transformation by weather patterns and erosion. Erosion has left grooves and cracks as winds, ice, and glaciers with water flow to further etch this massive mountain.

Our own individual mountain of self is formed by those in our life; family, friends, etc. If we consider our lives as a mountain, we may ponder the life experiences that can bring us a sense of purpose, our mind is a powerful foundation for our future. Words of affirmation from some parents can build up the inside voices of optimism. These words can be just what we need to remember on days when the world outside our home chips away like a rocky erosion at our sense of worth.

Sadly, not everyone has been raised with encouraging words. Even on the best days, parents can speak without thinking and hurl hurtful words. I have had to seek my kids’ and families’ forgiveness for careless speech. By asking forgiveness, I give my child an opportunity to see grace and mercy in action too.

For those raised in a verbally abusive environment, their minds can be filled with words of cruelty, such as”you are so stupid, you will never succeed, I am so disappointed in you, why try?” We are a product of our upbringing. Some words improve our inner dialog, giving us a sense of purpose and setting foundation. While other words are set to destroy our optimistic inner dialogue and negative support can cause our actions to self sabotage our futures.

Negative words etch and chip away at our belief we can achieve success. This negativity of mind can drain us from a life of hope. Words can come from family, friends, employers, coworkers, or even teachers. It could be as a high schooler struggling in Algebra, English perhaps any subject. Encouraging teachers can increase our confidence. Teachers with impatience or an inability to share concepts from viewpoints other than their usual learning process; kinesthetic, auditory, visuals, or words, can stunt a students growth. Parents, teachers, or any human can miss the opportunity to guide a child to success and a Godly inner dialogue.

I can visualize a preschooler’s hands tightly pressed across their ears, yelling, ” Lala La” so he can drown out the Peanuts’ parent voice. ” Wa Wa Wa Wa.” Maybe there is something to this childish action. What do you think, is it socially acceptable as an adult to plug your ears?

The world will do its best to increase our insecurity and negative mindset. We have to actively seek a Godly perspective for ourselves and share with it with our kids.

We need to open our ears and minds to THE Rock, the voice of God. and plug our ears from those humans that are not helpful. It takes practice to drown out the world and realize we can really open our ears to the Rock. It says in scripture our Creator God delights in the praises of His creation. Can you visualize the mountains bursting in song? I would love to hear that sound.

Isaiah 55:3 -13

3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
    Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
    I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
    I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
    and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”

6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
    Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
    and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
    Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
    and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
    producing seed for the farmer
    and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word.
    I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
    and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
12 You will live in joy and peace.
    The mountains and hills will burst into song,
    and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
    Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name;
    they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

God is unfailing in love. His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways. His Word can fill our minds with optimism that can prompt our steps, and His hope that can drown out the babbling of an unhealthy voice. Our God is bigger than Mount Everest. Our mindset needs to be set on Him. “Speak to the Mountain”, is an awesome song by Chris McClarney. I play and sing it loud!!

Powerful Lyrics remind us God is Faithful. His Promises are True. Speak to The Mountain, He is Greater than our feelings and He already knows our needs. There is no mountain too high for His plans to succeed. Speak to Him. He is greater, Stronger than even Everest!

New day, new sunrise

The Hebrew translation of sunrise ( zrikha) includes shining, glowing, luminosity. Merriam-Websters’ Definition of sunrise: dawn, daybreak, morning.

A new day is dawning. A new light is coming, Morning is breaking. Jesus is the Light, He is the Bright Morning Star, He is new beginnings. Step into the Light.

Yesterday was an interesting day, it may have deflated some people and caused celebration in others. I felt the importance of remembering that with each new day comes a sunrise. We can count on the rising sun and the sunset at the end of our day. It is a God given nature phenomenon from the beginning of time.

We can count on a sunrise and sunset. Even more important, we can count on God’s word to be true. Meditate on these scriptures on sunrises. Stop the busy day and it’s continuous distractions. Our family watches how we handle life circumstance. It’s awesome to share with friends, family and our kids the awesome creations of God. Take the time to get up early in the morning and view His majestic sky.

Psalm 19:6 MSG
That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.

Psalm 59:16 TPT
But as for me, your strength shall be my song of joy. At each and every sunrise, my lyrics of your love will fill the air! For you have been my glory-fortress, a stronghold in my day of distress.

Psalm 90:14 TPT
Let the sunrise of your love end our dark night. Break through our clouded dawn again! Only you can satisfy our hearts, filling us with songs of joy to the end of our days.

Psalm 112:1-10 MSG
Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear GOD, Who cherish and relish his commandments, Their children robust on the earth, And the homes of the upright-how blessed! Their houses brim with wealth And a generosity that never runs dry. Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people- God’s grace and mercy and justice! The good person is generous and lends lavishly; No shuffling or stumbling around for this one, But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation. Unfazed by rumor and gossip, Heart ready, trusting in GOD, Spirit firm, unperturbed, Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies, They lavish gifts on the poor- A generosity that goes on, and on, and on. An honored life! A beautiful life! Someone wicked takes one look and rages, Blusters away but ends up speechless. There’s nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.

Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people – God’s grace and mercy and justice! Awesome visuals in these promises. I don’t know the future and I have to trust the One True God that started sunrises and night times. Hold onto His promises. Hope in the storms of life. He knows the plans.

Gerbil, Get off the wheel

Boy, our feelings can feel so intense overwhelming and so permanent, can’t they? Yet feelings are fleeting. They pop into our minds and take on a life of their own, if they are condemning they are from the devil. Feelings could actually be lies from the Father of lies, Satan. Lies related to past traumas lie related to expectations of others, and lies related to judgments of others, are not helpful. They are meant to destroy us and tarnish our minds from God’s truth.

Ephesians 6:10-11 AMP
In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. [11] Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

The truth is that God has a plan for your life. God wants you to choose His Promises over feelings. The enemy wants you to be stuck in feelings. The truth is that God has never left you. Perhaps in your past choices, shame or trauma led to your steps away from your relationship with Him.

Have you ever thought of it that way? Who stepped away? There may have been a time we felt God would never forgive us for the things we’ve done or the things we’ve said. Go to Jesus, He is a forgiving, grace-giving, merciful God. He wants to be in our lives sharing His wisdom. But if we step away from the umbrella protection of his wisdom, we can’t really be surprised that we don’t hear His voice?

God is a God of love, a God of peace, God is a teacher through conviction, not condemnation. He is a God of hope and returning to His Presence is amazing. God is a God of wisdom. Jesus speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

He is for us not against us. We must reach out to Him and say, “Jesus, I need You! I want You to direct my life. I am ready for a New Life with You!”

There are ways for us to drop the fake feelings and instead hold onto God’s promises. I love imagery to explain my point, please bear with me!

Consider a gerbil in a wheel running so fast, faster and faster, trying to figure out how to get somewhere. Your feelings are etched as words on that gerbil wheel: anxiety, depression, regret, fear, bitterness, holding grudges, unworthiness. We are the gerbil seeming to lose our energy and our mind. We could never get to peace and joy fast enough unless we make changes in our life. Mindless running into an unknown future can set up traps for others and the world’s culture.

However, if we look and fix our eyes on the image of Jesus before us and picture His compassionate face and extended hand we will feel purpose and strength will increase. Let Him fill empty spaces and be your fuel to reach the goal. Perhaps we could start the steps to forgiving ourselves, and accepting His love.

Jeremiah 33:2-3 MSG
“This is GOD’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’

Greater Still by Brandon Lake

Brandon Lake, one of my favorite music artists, expresses beautifully “Greater Still” the love of our Savior Jesus. Be blessed as the lyrics fill your mind with hope and love over feelings.

Our belief and trust in God over feelings could transform us and then our belief in His promises will overwhelm the negative mindset.

So don’t be a gerbil on the wheel, hop off that stupid circular device. And seek the Son of God. He is the light, Jesus! Let Him fuel the Journey!