Tag: hope

Take Nothing For Granted

Several weeks ago, I was in the bank, (which I rarely go inside the bank), and witnessed the excitement of a teen girl cashing her first paycheck. When she got the cash in her hand, she proudly and excitedly exclaimed, “I did it, my first paycheck!” It reminded me how we should not take anything for granted in life. Something that we may have been doing for years, such as working and getting a paycheck, is a blessing from the Lord. Her excitement was a reminder to always be thankful for the blessings we receive, no matter how big or how small.

We live in an electronic society and it is rare nowadays to even have a paper paycheck in our hands. But seeing and hearing that teen girl that day brought smiles to all of us who were waiting behind her in line. I pray the reality of God’s blessings in your life, would fill your heart with joy and bring a smile to your face today.

View on YouTube: Take Nothing for Granted

Photo by: Katii Bishop of the USA 🇺🇸

God Has A Green Pasture For You

Psalm 23:2 ESV, “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”

The color green always reminds me of freshness and growth. Knowing that the Lord’s desire is for us to lie down in green pastures, where we can be refreshed and grow, brings joy. He is our Good Shepherd who wants what is best for us. Whether we find ourselves in a season of plenty or lack, He still wants us to come lie down in the green pasture He has prepared for us, and take time to be still in His presence, and find rest for our souls. He wants us to trust Him to give us exactly what we need day by day. Keep trusting in the Lord, and find peace and rest in the green pasture He has prepared for you.

Enjoy this devotional on YouTube: God Has A Green Pasture For You

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Step Out In His Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

This verse crossed my mind one morning while I was walking. God gave me a reminder that, no matter what He calls us to do, He will give us the grace to do it. We do not have to have all the answers.

The everyday tasks and responsibilities of life can be challenging, but God is with us, extending His grace daily. Simple prayers throughout our day, can help us through and remind us of His presence.

If there are changes in your life that God is leading you to make, you may feel fear and uncertainty, but remember that His grace will be sufficient for your every need. His power is made perfect in the midst of your weaknesses. He will do what we can not.

Nothing we encounter is too hard for God. Our steps of faith and obedience will lead to the blessings that He has in store for us. To fulfill His purpose for our lives, we must be willing to rest in the sufficiency of His grace and power.

View on YouTube: Step Out In His Grace

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Living in God’s Goodness

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

The words, “I will remain confident,” are an inspiration to keep walking in confidence regardless of the circumstances we are facing. The Psalmist chose to remain confident. Remaining confident in God’s goodness is a daily choice that we must make. His goodness is there even in the toughest of times because He has promised to work all things together for our good, when we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

Photo by: Mike

God wants good things for His children, and He even promised us that His goodness and mercy would follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6). When we are tempted to question God’s goodness, prayerfully, we will remember that although we may not understand the details of what we are going through, we will find comfort and peace in His promise to bring goodness into our lives here on Earth. His love for us endures forever (Psalm 136:1).

View on YouTube: Living in God’s Goodness

The Upward Call in Christ Jesus

Philippians 3:13-14 ESV, “13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

There have been times in my life, I have thought about the past and wished I could do certain things over again. However, during those moments, I had to remind myself that God is faithful to forgive and that His plans are perfect.

I am sure we have all learned many valuable lessons from our past. With those many lessons have come both positive and negative experiences. Regardless of our past, Paul is encouraging us to keep moving forward.

Photo by: Pixabay

We can not allow our past experiences to hinder us from doing what we need to do, now or in the future. Our past is part of our story, and our story can be used by God to help others. He knows our stories from beginning to end. We have to trust God to work all things, good and bad, together for good in our lives (Romans 8:28).

Everyday, God is calling you upward in Christ Jesus, so keep pressing toward the goal!

View on YouTube: The Upward Call in Christ Jesus

Stand Tall, Be Strong

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”

At work on Friday, when I flipped my calendar to April, there was a picture of a beautiful mountain. I felt God speaking to me, telling me that as Christians, we should be strong like a mountain. Mountains don’t bow down, they stand tall and strong no matter what they go through. The strength we have comes from God, we do not have to be strong on our own. He will equip us for whatever we must endure, and in our weaknesses, His strength is made perfect (2 Cor 12:9). Then a little later that same day, the breathtaking Mt Fuji appeared on my computer screen as a background. Again, I was reminded that in Christ Jesus, we can stand tall and be strong like a mountain.

I pray that even in your weakest moments, you will rely fully on the strength of Christ Jesus to carry you through. Look to Him always, He is your strength.

Mt Fuji, pic by: Tomáš Malík of Slovakia 🇸🇰

Refreshed and Satisfied

Jeremiah 31:25 NIV, “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

God understands that we do become weary from the daily toil of life, and this promise from Him to refresh and satisfy us is a comfort. We are constantly bombarded with the world’s ideas of satisfaction, but time with our Lord will bring our soul the satisfaction it really needs. He knows the desires of our hearts and understands us completely. Nothing about us or our situation is a surprise to God. We should look to Him daily to be refreshed and satisfied. He is always waiting for us to sit in His presence and spend quality time with Him. His love is a river that will never stop flowing in our lives.

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