God’s love – Page 43 – Drawing Closer to Christ

You Are Not Alone

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV, “8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

This verse encourages us to never feel alone, because we are part of God’s family of believers. The enemy wants us to feel alone and isolated so that we will become discouraged in our faith. He is always seeking to destroy our relationship with the Lord. But the Lord wants us to stand firm in the faith! Even when we stumble we are to keep pressing on in our faith. God assures us that every single believer in Christ is going through the same kind of sufferings. The enemy is trying to kill, steal, and destroy those who are seeking the face of Jesus. However in Christ, we are more than conquerors, He came to give us life (John 10:10)!

We all have situations that are beyond our control. We all have issues that we are waiting on God to resolve, rather it be personal or rather it involves other people. We overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Because of Him, we are able to persevere.

We must stay alert, and not give in to the temptation to become relaxed or nonchalant in our faith and quest to know Jesus better. Instead we must be intentional and vigilant to pursue the Savior and the things of the Lord. But be encouraged and know that no matter what your struggle is, God forgives you when you confess your sins to Him (1 John 1:9) and He empowers you to move forward in His grace and love. Keep your eyes fixed on Him, not people or problems.

Just decide each day, in every situation, in every hurt, and through every struggle to keep trusting Jesus. He is faithful, and He will carry you through. And remember, you are not alone in your struggles. Through Christ you are part of something greater…God’s family.

Father,

For those who may feel like they are alone, please let them know that you are near. Place the right people in their lives who can be true friends and really care. Give them confidence in who they are in You.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Move On In Faith

Exodus 14: 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.

The Israelites were terrified because the Egyptians were pursuing them. In the midst of the chaos they lost their faith and begin to complain and worry. They started wishing they had never left the life they had in the past. Even though their past life wasn’t comfortable, it was familiar. They longed for the familiarity that they knew.

Today things are not much different for us as Christians. It’s easy to be comfortable with what is familiar. Stepping out in faith and going into unknown territory can be scary. Once things don’t go as we thought they would, we want to run back to what we knew. Or we begin to question God’s faithfulness. We wonder if it’s really worth it.

I like Moses response to the grumbling Israelites in verse 14…“The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.” Then it gets even better when the Lord speaks to Moses in verse 15…“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” We have to move on in faith knowing that the Lord will fight our battles. We can’t let fear of the unknown rob us of the blessings God has for us.

The blessings He has for us are not just at the finish line, where we see the manifestation of what we are hoping for. Our whole journey is filled with blessings, because through it we are standing firm, growing in our faith and learning to trust God. On our journey we can see how He provides for us in ways big and small.

We don’t have to run away in fear or try and return to what is familiar when the enemy pursues us. We can remain calm and be still in our hearts. God’s love covers us, and He himself lives inside of us. Therefore we can keep moving on in faith. Everything we need to accomplish God’s purposes and go through unknown territory is available to us through Jesus Christ.

Florida Memories: Sharing With My Sister

My big sister Angela who lives in Michigan came to visit me in October, a couple of weeks before I left Florida. She was in town for seven days, and we had a lot of fun! I wanted to share some pictures from our time together.

She flew into Miami International Airport, and we started our afternoon off with a short tour of Hollywood, which is where I lived for my first two years in Florida. The last two years I lived in Dania Beach, but still did almost everything in Hollywood, since it was really close.

We had dinner at a restaurant called GoBistro in downtown Hollywood. We both had the ramen which is delicious (I never eat the seaweed on the side of the bowl lol.)

Later that evening we made these Pumpkin Muffins from Michelle at Blessings By Me. They came out really good! They were very tasty and moist, and all you need is two ingredients!

We were praying for good weather with no rain, and God did bless us to get all of our outdoor activities done, without any interference from rain. One of those activities was bike riding at Key Biscayne. Key Biscayne is a little island near Miami.

After the bike riding, we overcame our fears by going to the top of the lighthouse located on the island. There were 109 steps to the top! It was kind of scary because we don’t like heights, but thank God we both made it to the top. I went first then my sister went.

**Steps inside of the lighthouse (I had to recite Psalm 23 to make it to the top!! Lol)**

**My view from the top of the lighthouse**

I couldn’t let my sister leave without taking her to my favorite place in Miami, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. It’s an old mansion that belonged to a man named James Deering. Vizcaya was his winter vacation home, where he would come to escape the cold winters up North. It was built between 1914 and 1922. It feels like another world when you step in. It’s worth a visit if you’re ever in Miami.

Miami is a very diverse place and is rich in food and culture. My sister enjoyed trying Cuban and Jamaican food for the first time. She loved the Jamaican Beef Patties! I had to take her back like three times to get one lol. I think I like the vegetable patties best. We also made it to Ft Lauderdale Beach (it was so hot!)

**My Cuban plate (fish chunks, yellow rice, and plantains).**

**My sister taking a picture of Ft Lauderdale Beach**

Although I was sad to see my sister go, I was thankful for the time we had together. I was also happy I only had four more days after she left before making my move to Virginia. Her visit was the perfect ending to my four year season of living in Florida. We shared talks, laughs, great food, time in prayer and God’s Word. It was a blessing.

Below is a picture of my view from the balcony at my apartment in Florida. I always loved looking out and seeing the trees and the lake, especially in the mornings before leaving for work. I’m thankful for all God’s goodness.

Psalm 126:3 NIV,“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” 🥰

The Desires Of Your Heart

Psalm 37:4 ESV, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

This scripture always brings to my mind the word “worship“, which is reverencing God and loving Him for who He is. When we live a life of worship towards the Lord, we delight in Him. When we delight in Him, we find joy in spending time with Him, and we find pleasure in living in obedience to His commands.

1 John 5:3 NLT, “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.”

When we find delight in the Lord, He finds delight in granting us our hearts desires. The more time we spend with Him, the more understanding we will gain about who He is. As we become more like Jesus, we will have the same desires that He has for our lives, and for the lives of those who are around us. Fulfilling His purpose will be our main agenda. The motive behind our actions will always be love, loving God and loving others.

There may be times you feel that your faithfulness to God has not been properly rewarded. You may at times feel weary as you seek the Lord. If so, don’t hesitate to call out to Him in prayer. Cast your cares upon Him and allow Him to give you rest. One thing I’m learning about the Lord, is that His Word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). He will bring to past the words He has spoken. His promises are true, and His timing is perfect. The work He performs in our hearts and lives is thorough. He desires for us to be perfect (mature) and complete lacking nothing.

James 1:4 NJKV, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Keep persevering in patience as the Holy Spirit does a work in you. Keep being faithful as you serve God and walk in love toward others. He is working all things in your life together for good (Romans 8:28).

Forever Faithful

Psalm 36:5 NIV, “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

God’s love and faithfulness never end. Through every uncertainty, He still remains faithful and true. During times of difficulty, look up to Jesus. His loyalty reaches further than we can even understand. Rely on His strength. Find comfort in His presence. Be reassured of His everlasting love, and find joy in His complete sovereignty. There is no situation that is greater than His faithfulness. There is nothing that can separate you from His love (Romans 8:38).

Even in the darkness His light shines, so never stop hoping in Him. Let His Word guide you always. His Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalm 129:105). If you feel lost, remember that He is there with you. Ask Him and He will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (Jeremiah 33:3). Do not be afraid, only trust Him. Do not let fear hinder your progress or steal your peace. Overcome fear by walking in faith. Keep trusting in Him, He will direct your paths and make them straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Thank you Lord Jesus for being Forever Faithful!

Foolishness Leads To Ruin

Proverbs 19:3 NLT, “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.”

When I read this verse, I immediately thought of my own life and the many times I have made sinful choices that caused me heartache and pain. But instead of taking responsibility for my sinful choices, I questioned God’s love for me or felt that He was being unfair. I can even recall times when I knew the Holy Spirit was cautioning me to avoid certain things or certain people, but I still chose to follow my own worldly desires and ended up regretting it.

Although sin can seem pleasing for a period of time, it eventually leads to ruin and death (James 1:15). There is no set timing on how long it can take for that ruin to come. It can happen quickly, or it can seem as if someone is persisting for an extended period of time with no repercussions to their actions, and then it all catches up with them. I can’t tell you how many times I have given God thanks for watching over me and delivering me from my foolishness. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to repent and receive salvation through Jesus Christ. Even today, I’m thankful He forgives me when I sin and fall short.

If we believe what God says, we have to learn to trust His instructions. What he instructs us to do, is for our own good. When He tells us to refrain from certain actions, it’s because He in all of His wisdom knows and understands all things. He knows the dangers of sin, that is why He sacrificed His son Jesus. As Christians, I pray that our hearts will remain sensitive to God’s Spirit and obedient to His Word. We are living in perilous times, but I like what David said in Psalm 31:15 NIV, “My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.”

Our times are in God’s hands, we need not live in fear. However we do need to seek God, and choose His ways above our own to avoid unnecessary foolishness. There is a lot we may not understand, but God said we don’t have to understand everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). We need to abide in Jesus and trust Him to take care of us as we rest in His loving arms. His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9), so He knows what is best for us.

I Will Give You Rest

Matthew 11:28 NLT, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

I woke up this morning with “rest” on my mind. I feel very thankful that as Christians we can find rest in Jesus. Life has its share of ups and downs, but through prayer we can always entrust our lives and the lives of our loved ones to Jesus. We are free to cast every concern we have upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).

I read a post by Crystal at Devotions of Grace called, “Who Needs Rest?”. It was very encouraging, reminding us that God will take care of us, and that it’s a good thing to rest in Him.

Today is a special day, 23 years ago my daughter was born. Although she’s away working in Spain, I’m thankful that as her mother I am able to pray for her and know that God will always take care of her. As parents we don’t have to worry about our children, we can rest in Jesus. Our job is to raise them, but once they grow up and go their own way, we should continue to pray for them and trust God to work in their lives.

I hope and pray that you will find rest in Jesus and give all you cares to Him. He is attentive to our prayers. No request is too big or too small. He will exchange your worries for His peace and joy, just trust Him.

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