Tag: strength

Thankful for the Family of Believers

1 Peter 5:9, “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Photo by: Pavel Danilyuk of Belarus 🇧🇾

I am thankful for the family of believers that we have because we are able to support and encourage one another in our faith. It is a blessing to have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are praying for me and standing on the Word of God just as I am. All of your writings here on WordPress also bring me much inspiration and help my faith to stay strong, thank you for sharing your heart through your blog posts and comments. I pray we would all continue to stand firm against the tricks of the enemy and be strong in our faith in God.

Dear Father,

Thank you for the family of believers here on WordPress and around the world. Keep us in your perfect peace as we keep our minds fixed on you. No matter what we may be facing, help us to stand firm against the enemy and be strong in our faith. Help us to be quick to call out to you for help in times of need. You are our ever present help in times of trouble and thank you for hearing our prayers.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

For more inspiration visit: Drawing Closer to Christ on YouTube

God Is Working In You

Philippians 2:13 NIV, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Knowing that God is working in us to bring His purpose to pass, gives us security and comfort. It reminds us we are not on our own in our efforts to live for Him. We need His power and strength each day. The NLT version puts it like this…

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

The Lord is willing to even give us the desire we need to want to please Him. So during those times where we grow weary and feel like we want to give up, we can call out to Him and ask Him to increase our desire to live for Him. After all, life can be draining, and the world is constantly trying to get us to abandon our love for the Lord.

Photo by: Mimi Moromisato

Our Heavenly Father certainly understands our weaknesses and struggles. He is with us every step of the way and never leaves us alone to figure things out. He is willing to help us with whatever we need to live for Him. He is our ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Do not hesitate to ask the Lord for help, no matter how big or small your need is.

Lead Like Jesus: Heart, Head, Hands, and Habits

Leading like Jesus involves our heart, head, hands, and habits. First, examining our hearts, gives us the opportunity to ask ourselves if we are serving God and others or just ourselves. In all we do, our motives should remain pure.

Second, we examine our head. We take time to consider our beliefs and how those beliefs impact those around us. The experiences we have had, rather good or bad, shape how we think, and how we treat others.

Mark 10:45 (NIV)says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Photo by: fauxels

Third, the actions of our hands show what is in our heart and head. Loving people means we want to see them be the best they can be. We praise them when they do good, and lovingly correct them when needed and help them to get back on track during difficult times.

Lastly, we establish healthy habits. Jesus exhibited healthy habits by spending time alone in prayer, applying scripture to His life, and by working to build meaningful relationships with those around Him. He always took time out for people. He lived His life in a way that inspired others.

Leading like Jesus in our hearts, heads, hands, and habits will help us to be quality leaders in our homes, workplaces, and communities. The Holy Spirit who lives in us will empower us daily as we work to bring Jesus glory.

Read Previous Lead Like Jesus post: Standing Before the King

Reference: Lead Like Jesus Revisted: Lessons from the greatest leader of all time by Blanchard, Hodges, and Hendry (2016) pp. 35-38

Two Sides

Proverbs 18:17, NIV, “In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.”

It can be easy to form an opinion when we hear one side of a story, but if there are two people involved, that means there are two stories involved. Therefore, we must be careful not to jump to conclusions. Even in our own lives, it is pretty easy to point fingers when we encounter conflicts, however, it pays to examine ourselves and see areas where we may have faults. This doesn’t mean the other person involved has no faults, it just means that in humility we realize that we, or those we love, may also have faults. Prayer is a huge help with this, the Holy Spirit will help us to see truth in every situation.

Photo by: cottonbro of Russia 🇷🇺

Satan is the accuser, who is always trying to accuse and condemn us (Revelation 12:10); I’m thankful that God is merciful, and willing to hear our side of the story when we go to Him in prayer and repentance. We should strive to extend the same kindness to others whenever possible.

There Is Only One You

Psalm 139:13-15 ESV, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”

Photo by: Andrea Piacquadio of Hungary 🇭🇺

We are each uniquely made. The Lord knew us before we were even formed in the womb of our mother’s. He has a purpose and a plan for each of us. As Christians we hear those words a lot, that God has a purpose and a plan for us. But choosing to believe what we hear and read, while putting it into action is what will mature us in the Lord.

Photo by: Andrea Piacquadio of Hungary 🇭🇺

There is no need to compete with others. There is only one you, and the Lord desires to use you to make a difference and touch lives. His power working in you and through you will give you the strength you need. If you feel insufficient for the task at hand, than you are in the perfect position to be used by the Lord. In our insufficiency, His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I enjoyed this post by Jeanne @ Garden Faith: Power of God: Ephesians 3:20-21, reminding us about God’s power working in our lives. Thanks Jeanne! 🌺

When A Hard Place Is The Right Place

Isaiah 43:2 NIV, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Have you ever found yourself in a very hard place in life, where you must endure difficulties that are beyond your control? You can’t change things, or take short cuts. There is no way out, all you can do is go through. You must keep persevering and trust God to sustain you. You must rely on Him to supply you with what you need along the way.

Even though there are things you just don’t understand, remember God is with you as you go through the deep waters, rushing rivers, and raging fires. He has you exactly where you are supposed to be. It’s a hard place, however it’s the right place, because God has anointed you for the road you are traveling. God sees your faithfulness, so don’t give up! Keep praying, keep hoping, keep believing, and keep expecting!

Photo by: Jake Colvin (from Salem, OR 🇺🇸)

God’s grace is always sufficient for the tough roads we must travel (2 Corinthians 12:9). No matter the nature of our problems, He is more than able to carry us through. Often times the crosses we must bear are part of our growth process. They mature us and enable us to fulfill the calling that God has on our lives.

James 1:4 NIV, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We can always trust God to take us to the next level at the right time. We don’t have to feel that He has forgotten about our needs, or that He has abandon us in the midst of our trials. God is with us in the hard places, working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Whenever we struggle, we can look back at our experiences and see how God used them to bring us to where we are today.

We can release fear, anxiety, and doubt, and instead we can receive His peace, strength, and love. He has a good plan for us, even in the hard places of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

Enjoy Jesus Everyday

Regular fellowship with our Savior always makes things so much better. Time with Him refreshes us and gives us strength to face life, which we all know life can be tough. Everyone has something going on but as we meditate on His goodness, we are reminded of His love, protection, and provision. This helps to keep fear away from us, and to keep our focus in the right place. We are never without hope as long as He is near. He fills our life with good things…

Psalm 103:5 NLT, “He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”

Looking to Jesus, keeps our hearts full of faith, and in tune with His voice. Hearing his voice as He gives us gentle confirmations brings us assurance of His presence. Enjoy spending time with Jesus and find contentment in His everlasting love for you.

Photo by: Andy Vu
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