Category: Inspiration

A Look at Psalm 37: (verses 1-2)

Psalm 37:1-2 (NIV), “1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”

Psalm 37 is my favorite Psalm. Since I really love it, I read it often. It always encourages me to keep moving forward in Christ. We do see a lot of evil going on today. We also see many who seem to be getting away with their evil acts. There is much harm being done to innocent people both young and old. It seems as if the foolishness is never ending, and that some people live just to make others miserable. However we must hold fast and not give up. We must not adopt their evil ways. Although to us it may seem that God’s justice is slow in coming, He said in 2 Peter 3:9 that He is not slow. He said He is just giving people time to repent because He does not want anyone to perish (another example of His loving nature). Those who choose evil and do not turn to Jesus Christ and repent, will soon wither and die away. So when it comes to evildoers…Do Not Fret.

Next Reading: A Look at Psalm 37: (verses 3-4)

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No Weapon Formed Against You Will Prosper

Isaiah 54:17(KJV), “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”

Recently I was watching one of those animal programs on TV. In this particular episode, a pride of lions were attempting to take down a giraffe. The pride’s strategy was to create a circle to surround the giraffe. Once surrounded, the mother lion would lie in wait until the giraffe reached a certain point. Then she would attack. As I watched the pride close in on the giraffe, I felt certain that they were about to win the battle and have a feast. Suddenly I saw the mother lion lunge out! She threw all of her body weight against the giraffe in an effort to knock her down . Much to my surprise, the mother lion just bounced right off the side of the giraffe like a beach ball and hit the ground. The giraffe seemed completely unmoved by the incident. She barely even missed a step. She gave the mother lion a quick glance as she continued on her way, galloping through the field.

This giraffes run in with the pride of lions reminded me of the protection that God gives to us. When evil tries to come against us, the Lord surronds us with His favor and the weapons that were trying to form against us will come to ruin. They bounce right off of us like the lion did with the giraffe, and we will walk away unharmed. We don’t have to walk in fear. God is faithfully watching over us day and night.

 

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He’s Still God

Revelation 1:8(NLT),”I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.”

Sometimes we just have to stop and remind ourselves that God is still God no matter what. When things are going smoothly He’s God. When things seem out of our control, He’s still God. That’s the beauty of serving our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing we do, nothing we encounter, nothing going on in the local news or in world around us can stop Him from being who He is. Jesus said to be of good cheer for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He’s not limited in any way by anyone or anything.

Face each day with joy. Face each day with expectancy. Face each day with supreme confidence because God is still God. He will not fail you because He cannot fail. Failure is not in His nature.

Matthew 6:26-27 (NLT), “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

He’s still God, no matter what. We must make a decision to plant that truth within our hearts everyday. Relax and enjoy the reality not only of Who He is, but of Who He is to you. He desires to be intimately involved with you, with every detail of your life. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking God’s blessings are for everyone but you. I know because I’ve had that happen to me many times. But no! He has a good plan for your life the same way He does for the people across the street. He adores you the same way He adores the person in the break room at work who seems to have it all. Some people have more than others in terms of material possessions, but it’s not having more things or more money that will sustain us. It’s having the love of Jesus in our lives and living according to His Word that keeps us strong and steady. The provision He gives to us extends far beyond material wealth.

Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV), “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

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I see people around me everyday who obviously have more than me in terms of material wealth. There are times I do wish I had more so I can accomplish more, however I’m learning to be content in whatever state I am in. Part of trusting God is believing that He always knows what’s best for us, even when life gets hard. It’s in the hard times that we are tempted to doubt His sovereignty over our lives. I know that God knows what I am ready for and what I am not ready for. Even though waiting is not always easy, I love the fact that He is interested in making sure that I have the character I need to sustain me as He blesses me with the desires of my heart. There are things God wants to do in your life. He knows what you are and are not ready to handle. He is steadily working in your life to prepare you for what’s ahead. The present state you are in now is part of your preparation for the future. Even where you are now, if you are doing your best to follow Jesus, then you can be sure that you are making a difference because He is making a difference in you. Ultimately, God is preparing us for the life we will have with Him in eternity. Our eternal life with Him will far outweigh anything we could begin to imagine here on Earth!

There is only One who is perfect in all His ways. Only One. He is, and was, and is still to come. 

Whatever it is friends and family (rather family through biological blood, through the blood of Christ or through both) that may have you troubled today, please know this…He’s Still God.

Freedom from comparison

changedbyhim's avatarChanged by Him

Stop comparing yourself to others.

Stop.

I know you can see how dangerous it is, how completely pointless it is, so you need to stop.

You know what, it’s not going to get you anywhere.

You’re never going to be like them, like all those people you so want to be like.

You’re never going to be like them, but that’s okay, because, lame as it sounds, you’re you,

And that’s all anyone will ever want you to be.

Do you doubt His sovereign will?

Do you doubt Him who created you, He who knows you by name?

No matter what you think, He had a purpose in creating you the way you are.

Don’t try to change who you are because you think you’re not good enough.

Don’t try to change who you are so others will like you better.

Don’t try to change who you are because of…

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Do you dwell in The Secret Place?

Do you dwell in The Secret Place?

https://drawingclosertochrist.com/2018/03/05/do-you-dwell-in-the-secret-place/
— Read on drawingclosertochrist.com/2018/03/05/do-you-dwell-in-the-secret-place/

Our Greatest Example of Trusting God

The greatest example we have of trusting God to do what’s best for us is this…

Luke 22:42 (NIV), “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

We see love, humility, strength and resolve in King Jesus as He trusted the Father, even as He was facing death. He requested that God remove the “cup” He had to bear, if it was His will to do so, but above all else He wanted to do the will of God. Doing God’s will meant suffering and dying for us. He rose again and now intercedes for us continuously before the Father.

Hebrews 7:25 (NIV),”Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

“Not my will Lord, but Your will be done.” I pray that will be the cry of our hearts everyday. Jesus carried the shame and guilt of our sins, and paid the ultimate price as He endured the agony of the cross for us.

Jesus said yes to participating in God’s redemption plan for you, me and all of mankind. He said yes to God. He gave His life. Have you accepted His free gift of salvation? Have you said yes to the divine purpose God has for you, to help Him bring love, hope, and meaning to the world?

Father,

Help us to say yes to You everyday. Jesus set the greatest example of saying yes and trusting You that we will ever see. You want to do great things in us and through us, but we must first say yes to You. We give ourselves to You, to include our hopes, desires, strengths, weaknesses, hurts, pains, joys, successes and failures. Not our will Lord, but Your will be done. Come into our hearts and make us new. Teach us by Your Holy Spirit to live for You.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Life is so short. Say yes to Jesus Christ.

Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Good

Galatians 6:9(NIV), “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Not growing weary in doing good will cause us to reap a harvest of blessings in our lives. In reality, every action we take, will reap some type of harvest, even the wrong ones. As Galatians 6:7 says, “You reap what you sow.” We must pray and ask God to tear down any walls we are holding up, so that we can clearly see His perspective as we are making daily choices. Not just when we have a big decision to make, but also in the little things we do. Little things that seem insignificant can mean a lot, and can alter our outcome.

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Consistently doing what is right is not easy for any of us, but that is one of the ways God builds our character. It can be especially difficult to choose right when our emotions are steering us in the wrong direction. Although having emotions is a good thing, emotions just like everything else in our lives, must be governed by the truth of God’s Word. His Word is the standard by which we as Christians are called to live. We will of course at times fall short, but the more we learn to choose right over choosing wrong, or choose right over doing what’s easy, the better off we will be.

It’s always beneficial to surround ourselves with like minded people who can encourage us in our walk with God. However there will still undoubtedly be times we will have to stand alone in doing what is right. Just know that God is always near, and He promises to reward your diligence, so don’t grow weary. There is a harvest of blessings ahead for you. Even now as you may feel the pressures of choosing to do what is right, God will bless you with strength. He will also give you that contentment that comes from knowing, you have chosen to do His will above all else.

Matthew 5:10 (NLT),”God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”