Psalm 77:11-14 NIV, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”
Photo by: Ray Bilcliffof the UK 🇬🇧
These verses really bring hope and a right perspective. God is still God and He has not changed. He is a God of miracles and mighty deeds. We can place our confidence in Him every moment of everyday. His power and love will never cease. When times get hard, we can meditate on His goodness and rest in His faithfulness. His way is perfect, His words are flawless.
Psalm 18:30 NIV, “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”
What God is as great as our God? There is none like Him.
Romans 8:17 BSB, “And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
With everyone confined to their homes, there has of course been an increase in activity on social media. I guess people are looking for an outlet. Yesterday I was noticing that there is a challenge on Facebook called, “The 1st Born Challenge”. People are posting pictures of themselves with their first born child and posing the question, “Do we look alike?” Everyone is supposed to comment and say rather or not the person and their firstborn child look alike. I even saw a few people repeat the challenge with their second born child. While some of these facebookers did look like their children, some did not.
Photo by: Nadine Wuchenauer of Germany 🇩🇪
After viewing quite a few of these posts, the thought popped into my head, if we as Christians could place our hearts next to the heart of Jesus, “Would they look alike?” Would the love of Christ be evident in our hearts? Would others be able to tell we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ? Our earthly bodies can easily resemble our earthly parents on the outside, however our relationship with the Lord goes beyond the surface. Our lifestyles must show others that we are His children. People look at the outside, but God can see what is inside of our hearts.
Psalm 139:1, “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”
1 Samuel 16:7, “…People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
As Christians, may our hearts be a true reflection of the heart of Jesus in all we say and do. Even when we fall short, may we be so close to our Savior, that we respond to the convictions of the Holy Spirit, quickly repent and choose Jesus above all else.
We can ask ourselves these questions daily… “Does my heart look like the heart of Jesus?” “Is my lifestyle a reflection of who Jesus is and does it show my commitment to Him?”
Psalm 5:1-2 ESV, “O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. We don’t have to carry our own burdens, because we can cast them on you. We give you all of our worries, doubts, fears, brokenness and pain. Thank you for promising to supply all of our needs according to your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Help us to find contentment and peace in you during these difficult times. Keep our minds sound and filled with your truth. Protect our bodies from illness and disease, and keep us safe and healthy. Thank you for comforting us through the trials that we face. You are always near, and we thank you for your continuous presence with us. Thank you that your Holy Spirit leads us on level ground as we trust in Him daily. Show us areas of our lives where we need to repent. Give us a pure heart, and help us to draw closer to You, as we diligently seek you each day. Teach us to represent you well in all that we say and do. Speak to our hearts about the things that should be a priority in our lives, and help us to obey your voice. Thank you Father for loving us with an everlasting love. Thank you for the power of prayer and the joy of thanksgiving. Through your power working in us, may we love you, love others, pray without ceasing, and be thankful always, this is your will for us in Christ Jesus. Greater is He who lives in us, than he who lives in the world! Thank you Father for who you are and for all that you do.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Have a blessed day and keep trusting in our God, His faithfulness will never end.
1 Peter 5:8 NLT, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
Several years ago, I was living in an apartment where the landlord refused to do pest control. So I called a pest control company and had it done myself. I remember before the pest control technician left, he said that any bugs I saw from now on, would be dead and on their backs. It was true, every bug I saw after he exterminated was dead and on their backs.
I recently thought about this, and I realized it works the same way for us in our walk with Christ. If we are properly prepared when the enemy comes against us with his evil tricks, he will end up defeated, like those bugs. We must take responsibility to ensure spiritual readiness so that we can win the spiritual battles we face.
Photo by: Mike
In Christ we are more than conquerors, however we must do our part by acknowledging Him in all of our ways. We must also put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand firm in our faith and be victorious against the enemy of our souls.
I remember back when I was in the army, one of the phrases they taught us was, “Stay alert, stay alive!” We must stay alert so we don’t fall prey to the sinfulness and deception that is all around us. Blessings to you as you continue on your journey of trusting in the Lord with all of your heart. Let’s continue to pray for and encourage one another in our walk with Jesus.
Psalm 94:19 NIV, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”
When we are overwhelmed by the anxieties of the world, “The joy of the Lord is truly our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)!” Even though the circumstances we face may seem uncertain, we can have joy knowing our circumstances are not beyond the reach of God. His sovereignty covers even the situations that seem the most hopeless. In Him there is always hope.
It’s easy to walk by faith when things are in order. However it’s the days where life doesn’t make sense, the days when chaos is happening all around us, or the days when tragedy strikes in our families, that we have to stand firm on the promises of God and keep walking by faith. Faith doesn’t have to make sense in the natural, because we serve a supernatural God. His love and power far exceed anything we could ever begin to imagine, yet He has chosen to know us.
The joy of the Lord puts a smile on our face and a song in our heart. His joy brings us light when everything else seems dark. What a joy it is to know, His goodness and mercy are following you and me!
I pray that the joy of the Lord will fill your heart and soul today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Life is busy, and most of us have many different things going on. When we lie down at night, if we are not careful to take the necessary precautions, our mind may become overwhelmed with worry and fear. It is important to take captive any negative thoughts that attempt to steal peace and rest from us (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The Lord desires for us to cast our cares upon Him (Psalm 55:22), so that we have a peaceful sleep. When we lie down to sleep, intentionally finding ways to focus on God, His Word, and the countless wonderful things He has done, will help to ensure that we enjoy a good night’s rest.
Photo by: Shahbaz Akram of Dubai, United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪
God will keep us safe and sustain us as we sleep. He has each one of our days numbered, and wants to use us to help accomplish His will here on Earth. Proper sleep is an important part of having a clear mind and being ready to do God’s will. I pray that you enjoy good sleep, and that any obstacles you are experiencing that hinder your sleep will be removed in the name of Jesus.
Psalm 3:5 NIV, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Romans 8:28 NLT, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
This is a great truth for us to remember as we continue to trust God during these very difficult times. God promises to work everything out for those who love Him, and are working to fulfill His purpose for their lives. Even when things are bad, God says He will bring good out of it.
Photo: Andrea Piacquadio of Hungary🇭🇺
There have been so many times I have gone through difficulties, but in the end I was in awe at how God brought blessings out of it. When we find ourselves in circumstances that seem hopeless, based on this verse in Romans, we can have full assurance that God will cause things to work out in our favor. As God’s children, none of our experiences, rather they are good or bad, are ever wasted. They are used for His purposes.
When we find ourselves standing face to face with bad, it can be hard to see the good. But God has a perfect plan. We can trust Him. His love for us will never fail, and His favor surrounds us like a shield…
Psalm 5:12 NLT, “Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
Drawing Closer to Christ 