His grace is all we need

There is peace in observing nature. A beautiful sunset on the pasture reminds me I am a sheep who needs my Good Shepherd to give me wisdom. I need time with Him so I don’t listen to the wolves of the world.

The Bible is rich with His wisdom. His grace and wisdom is mandatory to live a wonderful life with His Presence.

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The world or others may encourage our decisions away from the plans of God for our future. We have to guard whose advice we think is truth. We need to filter the process of our future with how it lines up with scripture, the Lord never lies, He is the way, the truth and the life.

“We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives. Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. The LORD has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished. Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the LORD, people avoid evil. When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them. Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness and was tested by the lies of Satan. Here is how He recalled the truth and Word of God. We must do the same when we are tempted by the world culture that is against Gods ways.

“During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’” Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’ ” Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭8‬, ‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

By the way, Jesus was telling Satan the truth from Old Testament scripture that still holds true today.

Review again each scripture in this post especially those truth statements from Jesus. He wants the best for you. It may take a patient attitude and require work but it will build your character as His.

Titus 2:11-15 TPT
God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. [12] This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age. [13] For we continue to wait for the fulfillment of our hope in the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One. [14] He sacrificed himself for us that he might purchase our freedom from every lawless deed and to purify for himself a people who are his very own, passionate to do what is beautiful in his eyes. [15] So preach these truths and exhort others to follow them. Be willing to expose sin in order to bring correction with full authority, without being intimidated by anyone.

As we learn to let His wisdom direct us, we get the opportunity to share. God bless you.

Good Shepherd, we thank You for not forgetting each of your children, the sheep of Your Pasture. We thank you that You would leave the 99 for the one who needs You most. We thank You for Your goodness, Your unfailing love, Your forgiveness when we repent for our sins and Your grace. Lead us on Your path for Your purposes. Help us when we feel left behind to know You never leave us but are forming our character into Yours. We love You and are grateful. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Photo credit by pexels.com

Weapons

We are in a battle for ourselves, our families, friends, and world. We are feeling a deepened dark oppression cover many of our lives. The easiest thing to do when we feel overwhelmed by the circumstances around us is to give up.

God causes us to stand in his mighty power. It doesn’t make sense in a human minds, but it is the truth from the Word of God.

“Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭66‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God promises never to leave us, because He is our Savior Jesus, who will never forsake us when we are following His ways and He has promises for us and our families. We have our own free will to decide to trust in Him.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s easy to stay with a relationship when things are going well. When everyone is getting along and people are choosing peace and healthy relationship skills. When challenges come, God is the only steady place to rest our minds and heads. Our faith in Him deepens when we trust His will over our own.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Pastor Vlad Sauvcuk said in his book, “Make the Devil Homeless”, The Name of Jesus is mighty, it carries the power to break chains shatter the works of darkness. I Highly recommend this book with solid Biblical message.

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The blood of Jesus sacrifice on the cross speaks a better word over our lives. Declaring the blood of Jesus by faith causes the devil to flee.

“You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We may feel weary or heavy burdened. The enemy knows our weaknesses. We must yoke ourselves to Jesus.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When we’re in the midst of exhaustion, distraction can fill our minds with lies. We can have an unsettled attitude that opens the door to the spirit of offense, a spirit of conflict, spirit of depression, spirit of materialism and comparison trapping. The spirit of discontent brings a sense of bitterness or an attitude of “I deserve this or that”, and that’s not from the Lord.

Being around others that have a struggle with comparison trapping, discontent, depression and the spirits of offense can seem to slink its way over to our minds.

We must know how to fight against the sneaky mind games of the enemy.

The Holy Spirit empowers and equips us for the battle when we stay in relationship with Him.

There is a battle plan for putting on the spiritual weapons of warfare that come from Jesus. Read aloud daily Ephesians 6:10-18. Reset your mind for each new day as you ask the Lord to bring His mighty strength and wisdom.

“Finally, grow powerful in union with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength! Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary. For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing. Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom. Always carry the shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people.”
‭‭Ephesians (Eph)‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭18‬ ‭CJB‬‬

If we choose to put first a relationship with God, and seek Him first every day, we can have a sense of peace that passes all understanding. But we must commit to reading His word aloud and trusting in His promises.

Nothing in this world will ever satisfy us as much as our relationship with the one who created us, ABBA Father, Jesus His Son and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit are the Voices we must listen to and obey.

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Photo credit by pexels.com

Stay the course

Whether you are traveling in an ocean or hiking a trail in the mountains, it’s important to remain connected to a compass. A compass can show you where to go. But you have to trust its direction.

I’ve heard it said: that following the Lord is following true North. As the world spins around, the distractions of news, war, potential new viruses, and social media can make our heads spin.

Distractions abound but the LORD is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the El Shaddai, our God who never changes. He’s the same yesterday today and into the future. He knows us from conception.

Jeremiah was one of the prophets of God, he was anxious, felt overwhelmed and not equipped to be a voice for the Lord. And yet God called him to be a prophet of the nations.

““I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!””Jeremiah 1:5-8 NLT

I feel like the Lord laid this scripture on my heart for you. I truly believe the God has great plans for you. I can relate to Jeremiah, can you?

““This is what the LORD says—the LORD who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the LORD: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” Jeremiah 33:2-3 NLT

Seek Jesus it is the best way to have a promised future.

The phrase “stay the course” keeps on being brought to my mind. No matter what we may be experiencing personally, financially, with joy or trial, “we must stay the course fixing our eyes on our Lord and what His Word says”.

The time spent with God will sustain us into the future. It is the one true thing they can direct our lives if we let it.

His word also says that “we are set apart for good things that he had planned a long time ago” (Ephesians 2:8-10). That means we must have trust in the One who created us. Trust takes faith, without seeing the end result. God is rich and mercy and loves us so much. However, we must choose to follow him.

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We must humble ourselves before Jesus and declare our allegiance to God. Jesus is the bridge for that amazing relationship. We get to choose to allow him to direct our lives. It’s His gift not to control us but in love to guide our destiny.

“that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Call out to Jesus now and He will be your compass, True North. Let His destiny be yours.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. You are set apart for great things, listen to the Voice of God not the idols of culture. Turning off your phone, media and spending quiet time in the Bible is a reset to His plans.

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Steadfast in planting

All children of God have the potential within us to be a seed that grows on good soil!

We intercede for those we love to stay in the good soil! That is where Gods’ plan grows!

For our destiny and those we love, Lord God sift our lives of the weeds of sin, pour out Your refreshing, healing Living Water. Bring us to a great harvest of abundant joy, peace, love. Break every stronghold that binds our potential. Show us where we need to let Go of our worries and let God move. We are Your ambassadors. Let us not be an obstacle to others walk with You.

Psalm 27:4,14 TPT
Here’s the one thing I crave from YAHWEH, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of YAHWEH, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to contemplate in his temple. [14] Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!

Our hope and compass daily must be You, Lord!

Lost

Jesus is the One thing we all need. Be desperate for a relationship with Him. The triune God: the Creator God, Jesus, His Son and the Holy Spirit, knows how to bring hope and you will be found in Him.

Do you feel lost? Is the busyness of life causing waves of anxiety? The Creator God who placed the heavens and earth, the sun in place and the stars in space, who created the waters and land ( Genesis 1) said “it is good”!

The Lord made you and said “He/ She is my child created in my Image”. He placed the spark of life at conception and our life was formed. He said “you are good” and have a purpose, You are His Masterpiece!! Has anyone ever told you this!!!! ?

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Citipointe Worship released a powerful song “Breathe / Just Give Me Jesus”!! Listen to the lyrics. Bask in the knowledge of His breath in your lungs, His unconditional love for you and for your destiny . You are seen and known by the One who made you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLkV-NPCrNw

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭6‬, ‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Just as Jesus knows you, He hears you when you call to Him. Amazing love!

I have heard Jeremiah 33:3, a scripture verse described as an emergency call for wisdom. Since the Lord formed all things He is the place for healing and wisdom.

““This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you’re feeling lost, don’t look for wisdom in social media or on the web, or in any other person on this planet, instead seek wisdom from the Lord. Ask Him any question and He will reveal the answers to you.

Growing up you may have been told, God doesn’t care about you! Whoever said this to you is a liar! Believe in the One who made you!

Taking time to be still, unplug from media, music, television, social media. Distractions and noise must cease so you can hear the voice of your Creator God.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Changing your mindset may take practice but God is patient! Renew your mind in Christ and find peace!

Wisdom over fear

Today’s post is going to include scriptures that will encourage and remind all of us the importance of trusting God‘s Word.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Despite what we see in the natural, the Creator God of the heavens and earth has been with His people since the beginning of time. And His Word is alive like a two-edged sword.

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Word of God is truth and cannot be denied. All of God’s creation, the children of God will come and worship the King of Kings. We cannot understand what’s going on in the world, perhaps what’s going on in our families, perhaps what’s going on in culture, however, we have to trust God. We have to believe in Him above all things.

Distractions abound, and that is the plan of the enemy, the devil. To keep our eyes bouncing from side to side, kind of like a squirrel looking for a nut. But God wants us to fix our eyes on Jesus, and put our eyes on the Word of God, spending time learning the wisdom that comes from above. We can worship Jesus in music that honors Him.

One of my favorite musicians, The Project of Love has many song-lists on Spotify that combine scripture and melody. “Deuteronomy 32, How Glorious is our God” is one of my favorites.

https://youtu.be/DF8u4a8T5DI?is=Q8G4DFk-HTOXRsb4

The purpose of being in God‘s Word is so that we are preparing ourselves to stand against the spiritual warfare for the devil will toss it at each one of us.

When Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days, He was the example of how to use Gods’ Word in the battle, Jesus spoke the Word of God to the devil’s requests. Jesus died as the intercessor for each of His children to be the bridge with our Creator God.

Mediation Scriptures:

“Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s important to repent of any sins against God; pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, shame, lies…. Everyone needs to bend your knees and seek Jesus first, repent (turn from sin) and ask Him to guide your steps.

“Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. Godly people find life; evil people find death. The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭2‬-‭4‬, ‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We must realize God loves us, He sent His Son, Jesus because of His love for His children. He is our Good Father, our God disciplines those He loves because He believes in our purpose and our destiny.

“To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬, ‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He sanctifies; Jesus washes us clean as snow when we come to Him with pure intentions, and we can get a new start.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He is the Lord God Almighty, His ways are just and true. He is Holy! He is life. Choose the best life of abundance with Him. Put on the Spiritual Armor found in Ephesians 6.

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our God is marvelous and holy! We must worship Him alone.

“And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Worship the One true King, Jesus! No other idols will satisfy. Spend time in His Word ( use a Bible app like Youversion) or a hard copy Bible. Start in the book of John if you are new to this journey. It shares meaningful steps of Jesus and His chosen broken disciples who loved Him. Go with God! You will not regret the time spent preparing for His return.

Photo credit by pexels.com

Trust Him

We all have a journey, every step we take can lead us to good things or every impulsive choice can lead to consequences.

However, every choice can remind us that we don’t have to walk alone. When we fall short of the best steps, we still have a Creator God to seek for wisdom. The Lord wants to help not shame us.

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭50‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6! Trusting in God as a child, teen, young adult, newly married couple, senior adult is the only answer to all lives questions.

When we ask for His wisdom first and step in His ways, life can be a more peaceful existence. However, even when we choose to obey His commands, we will have trials. He promises to never leave or forsake us.

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is a comfort in knowing we grow in our faith with Him each time we reach for His answers.

Our willingness to trust in Him before we see the end result is hard for our human need to control. But we can feel Him in the wind, we can see His hand in nature, we can take a breath and His life flows into ours.

Just like Elijah when we take a moment in stillness, God will reveal Himself in a gentle whisper.

““Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Fearing the Lord isn’t about terror it’s about fear and reverent awe that our Creator God is near.

As my husband and I were returning home from our nieces wedding in Salt Lake City, I was pondering a situation that required my trust in God. We were traveling on a two lane highway, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bald eagle perched on a fence in the prairie field. He was facing the highway. It reminded me that God is with me. The Lord knows an eagle is my favorite.

“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭50‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Trust in the Lord! Be still and He will remind you in a personal way that He is with you!

It Takes Work

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.

Webster’s definition of work: to exert one’s self for a purpose; to put forth effort for the attainment of an object; to labor; to be engagaed in a performance or task.

We cannot be rewarded without working toward a goal. We need to pay bills to eat, pay rent, enjoy life these are gifts of our labor.

Exodus 5:18 Go, therefore now and work for there will be no straw given you.

Another definition of work: to be effective; to have influence. We can be an influencer using our words and actions for good things or in impulse for poor examples.

Romans 8:28 We know all things work together for good to them that love God.

When I think of work, I think of energy spent for a cause. It can be physical; use of muscles, emotional; as when someone does the work of recovery such as in grief, addiction or mental health, or it can be spiritual; as in working through our faith as a child of God, gaining perspective of Jesus.

All types of work require determination, energy drain and a desire for new perspective. We all are born with purpose. Each of us are created uniquely to use our lives for good things in our sphere of influence.

Life may try to chip away our purpose by things done to us, by our own choices, or just plain circumstances beyond our control. We must stand up, push away the garbage of lies, step away from people who block our purpose and believe that the Lord has better connections (if we are patient) on the horizon.

We must work to discover our purpose, however, we can ask Jesus to show us His plan and then together we can carry the load. We must ask Jesus into our lives. We do not have to go it alone.

The Lord has given us a path to take that isn’t about work, it is about accepting the free gift of Jesus. It is our free choice to take the gift of love, grace, mercy, and eternal connection with Him. Jesus died on the cross for all His children to provide a way for our forever connection to God. It is not a forced relationship, it is our choice.

Open your hand, open your heart and let your soul connect to Him ( Jesus) today. Accept the free gift and let Him guide the labor and connections of your life. He wants to help you carry the burdens. All you have to do is ask Him. Jesus said in the book of Matthew to people who were seeking answers:

Matthew 11: 28 – 30 ” Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

I did a eulogy at my Grandmothers funeral and this is the scripture I shared with my Irish family. I said, “Grandma is no longer struggling to breathe or with Dementia confusion, she is dancing through the Pearly Gates to Jesus.” My family needed to be reminded of the free gift, we all need to be reminded. 🙂

Do you want to decrease your burdens and heavy life load? Do you want the free gift? He promises to be with you if you ask. It takes action, a step of faith. It is between you and Jesus, it is a call to a relationship of love. If you are ready to open your heart it is amazing!!

Repeat after me: Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I want a new life with You. Please forgive my sins of __________________________________. I know You created me for a purpose. I repent ( turn away from the sins that blocked me from you). I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died for my sins. I want You to guide my life my life. Thank you for the free gift of love, grace, and mercy. I am a child of God. Amen.

Be in expectancy for a new sunrise; a new day is dawning. If you have prayed this prayer and honestly seek Jesus He is in your heart. Welcome to the family of God, I rejoice with you.

Letting Jesus guide your life is a daily action step. As humans, we can tend to want to take back control. I am grateful for Jesus. He understands our human conditions. Turn to Him and seek His wisdom. He can be trusted.

Next steps: Take time to discover, by opening the Bible, seek the wisdom of your Creator God. It takes forming a habit to make time daily to read and be instructed. Our ( sin patterns) habits can be hard to break but it will be worth the labor.

If you do not have a Bible, you can go online to the Bible gateway website: https://www.biblegateway.com/ or access the Bible through the to take further steps https://youversion.com/the-bible-app/ and access the Word of God.

Expect there to be interruptions when you try to make new habits seeking God. This isn’t about guilt if you miss a day. It is about restarting again. Jesus does not shame He wants a relationship of love. I have heard it said “habits can take 28 days”. You can be transformed to new beginnings or renewed commitments, new life.

The Book of John, found in the New Testament, of the Bible is a great place to start. As you learn about Jesus and his time with the disciples on earth, you will be moved by his love.

May you feel the love of Jesus today.

Endurance

We are born with the selfish attitude of “I can do it myself” but Jesus wants to take our relationship to a higher place to impact our lives and those who intersect us.

I don’t know about you, sometimes in the midst of my daily distractions, I can forget Jesus is for me and wants to direct my life. A question for me and you: what attitude, circumstance, or feeling is an obstacle to my connection to Jesus? Take a moment to ponder this question. Talk to Jesus, admit your sin ( the obstacle). Ask Jesus to be your guide to a clearer future.

“We also have a great cohen over God’s household. Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy.”
‭‭Hebrews 10‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭CJB‬‬

“Cohen” is the Hebrew word for priest, Jesus is the High Priest! we have the wonderful opportunity to access the Highest place for wisdom. We are truly blessed.

Here is another Bible translation of Hebrews 10:22 which reminds us to draw near to God with sincere hearts and in faith we can be washed with His pure water.

“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Mediation Prayer prompt:

Father God, Jesus, Help me to surrender my whole life and family to you. Lord, guide my heart and attitude to be sincere and humble. Teach me to be an example of Your love especially when I feel weak. You give me the strength and authority to walk in Your ways.

Help me to set boundaries for our lives, our families that will be a benefit to their lives. Help me to speak life and truth of our families’ worth in Jesus plan for their lives. Help us not to seek peace and world culture values over Your ways.

I ask forgiveness for placing obstacles in our relationship Jesus. Sprinkle us clean of words or actions that don’t align with your ways, wash me by the blood of Jesus from : (place your obstacles here.. anxiety, fear, unbelief…)

Your Living Water, Jesus washes away our worries if we let it. I want Your peace, Your Words to flow through me to every person I encounter; family, friend, stranger. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

Meditation and time with Jesus needs to be daily, even moment to moment seeking wisdom not as a compulsion but an amazing life altering way of life, with our God who knows us, loves us unconditionally and calls us to Himself.

Here are other powerful scriptures of assurance:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Draw near to God and Your faith will expand to a Higher place of peace and purpose. Your endurance is developing strength and character, the hard work in relationship with Jesus will not disappoint. You can speak to Him directly! Lift up your voice, He is listening.

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The set up

There is something about being steadfast in the Lord that cannot be expressed in words. The benefit and reward of our obedience to the plans God has for our life is the path for our destiny.

Many scriptures will talk about the enemy who lies and waits for us to choose a different path.

The mind games are exhausting. Remembering the voice of the One who created us in the midst of hearing all these other voices with lies, is no different than Eve listening to the snake in the garden.

You are meant to be set apart as a child of God not to go with the crowd. Set a personal best time not comparing to others. It always boils down to a choice.

Psalm 27:11-14 AMPC
Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain and even path because of my enemies [those who lie in wait for me]. [12] Give me not up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me; they breathe out cruelty and violence.

I love the scripture in Psalm 27:13-14. Read the scripture slowly and it reminds us that the Lord wants to see us in the land of the living. The other part of this is the Lord wants us to choose the goodness of God. However, our impulsive human tendency wants an immediate sense of gratification. This is where the enemy strikes quick and with repetition.

Verse 14 reminds us we have wait on the Lord and have courage and endure. So what exactly are we enduring?

13] [What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! [14] Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Endurance means we are looking to the future with a goal in mind. This is no different than a runner in a race, feeling exhausted, wondering if they’ll be able to run to the finish line.

It takes effort, it takes steps, it takes faith and trust, and hope in the Lord, it takes our eyes off of the people around us, and digging deep into our relationship the One, who lives within us, Jesus!

The One who gives us those final pushes, for the breathing required to finish the race, is the One who gave Adam his first breath.

My question for you and maybe myself: do you want to be set apart or set up? Are you willing to take the steps to achieve a God-given purpose or settle for the enemies plan? Are you willing to set the pace for your destiny holding the hand of Jesus or a world culture that fades away?

Colossians 3:1-4,10-11 TPT
Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! [2] Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. [3] Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. [4] And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory! [10] For you have acquired new creation life which is continually being renewed into the likeness of the One who created you; giving you the full revelation of God. [11] In this new creation life, your nationality makes no difference, nor your ethnicity, education, nor economic status—they matter nothing. For it is Christ that means everything as he lives in every one of us!

Gratitude matters! Attitude destroys! Letting the word of Christ dwell in your heart and mind will lead to being trained for honor in God’s ways. Whether we are baby boomers to Gen Z, we must choose wisely.

Colossians 3:15-17 TPT
Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts! [17] Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!

May we reach the finish line and rejoice in the character we have built with the One ( God) who gave us our first breath. We will never be disappointed, and the efforts will be so worth it.

Giving thanks to God for never leaving us in the race for our destiny.

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