Tag: Christianity

Knowing Jesus Brings Joy

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.

When you choose JESUS, you choose JOY.

Photo by: Bekka Mongeau

A Peaceful Sleep

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.

It’s All Working For Good

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.”

God Is Always Available

Matthew 7:7-8 NIV, “7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

As I read these verses, it reminds me of how available God is. He’s not cold and distant from us. He is very near, and always willing to give to us and make Himself known. We do have a part to play, because Jesus clearly says we must ask in order to receive, we must seek in order to find, and we must knock before any doors can be opened up for us.

Photo by: Pixabay

As a Christian, knowing that the presence of God is always with me and that He lives inside of me through His Holy Spirit, keeps me calm and reminds me just how much He loves us. However, we must ask, seek, and knock. Our Heavenly Father delights in giving good gifts to His children when we ask Him (Matthew 7:11).

We have to examine our hearts daily and ask ourselves if we are asking, seeking, and knocking. Because in doing so, we will learn who God is and come to know Him intimately. We will also see how He is working in our lives, and learn to open our hearts to Him. Our daily goal should be to make ourselves available to God, like He has made Himself available to us. As I write this, Psalm 34:8 comes to mind, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Renewed Strength Through Jesus Christ

Isaiah 40:31 NKJV, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

As we wait on the Lord, by placing our hope and trust in Him, and expecting Him to do what is best in our hearts, our lives, and the world around us, our strength is renewed. Living our lives in faithfulness to the Lord, especially during times of crisis can be hard. Trusting Him when things don’t make sense can be even harder. However, it’s fascinating to know that when we decide to choose hope in Him, even when things seem hopeless, or faith in Him, even when fear knocks at the door of our hearts, He has promised to renew our strength so that we do not become weary or faint.

Photo by: Tim Mossholder of the USA 🇺🇸

God’s Holy Spirit will empower us with the supernatural ability to soar, while everything else around us is falling down. Knowing that God is in control is really all we need to know to walk in peace. He is a good God who will never fail us. He has promised to never forsake His faithful ones, and supply all that we need. Keep waiting, hoping, and trusting in the Lord.

Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty

May those who dwell in the shelter of the most High meditate on these words in Psalm 91, and find peace in God’s love and faithfulness. I am so thankful the Lord is faithful to watch over us and protect us during these perilous times. Have a blessed day.

Psalm 91 NIV

1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,my God, in whom I trust.”

3Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

12they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Photo by: Engin Akyurt

If I Perish, I Perish

Esther 4:15-16 NIV, “15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

For the last five weeks, I’ve been attending a Wednesday night Bible study on the book of Esther. These words spoken by Esther, “If I perish, I perish” are very well known. We’re about half way through the study, but as we have been going through this book of the Bible, it never ceases to amaze me how the struggles that people had with sin, even in ancient Bible times, are so similar to many of the struggles we have today as people.

Esther was just an ordinary person, yet God used her to do something extraordinary. She had a choice, and she chose to be courageous and allow herself to be used by God. After becoming Queen, she was willing to give up her crown, and her life, to follow God’s will.

Photo by: Markus Spiske of Germany 🇩🇪

We may not be tasked with saving a whole group of people like Esther, but we are called to choose Jesus every day by living a life that proclaims His great Name to the world. We are called to die to ourselves daily, so that Christ will live through us. The same fervor that Esther had, is the same fervor that we should have. God has chosen us to help deliver His gift of salvation to the lost through our words and our actions. Esther was willing to perish for the sake of saving her people. God’s Son Jesus did perish on Calvary so that we may live eternally, and thank God He didn’t just die, but He also rose again!

Esther’s words have been resonating with me this week, “If I perish, I perish.” Her words remind me to submit myself to Jesus in all I do. There is so much joy in knowing that no matter what we must endure, when we take our final breath here on Earth, we will live eternally with Jesus in heaven.

This week I came across a post by Hattush at Daughter of the Light. Her and her family recently celebrated Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates how God used Esther and Mordecai to stop Haman’s plot to kill the Jewish people. I really enjoyed reading her post. Check it out here: 2020 – Happy Purim

Remember Esther’s words, “ If I Perish, I perish”, as you die to yourself daily and continue to live for the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.