Tag: strength

Safe In The Shadow of Jesus

Psalm 36:7 ESV, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

Some years ago I had a dream. I walked into an office building and once I got in a war broke out. There was shooting and loud noises all around me. I was terrified and was running through the building trying to find a place to hide. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could not find a refuge. So I called out, “Jesus, hide me in the shadow of your wings!” Immediately a shadow appeared. No matter where I went in that building, I was safe as long as I stayed in that Shadow. No one could see me. It was as if I was invisible. Not one of those flying bullets could harm me.

Although this was just a dream, the message it carries is very true. The Lord Jesus will always be our refuge. He will lovingly hide us in the shadow of His wings. He will protect us. Even though we must walk (or run!) through the trials of this life, He will carry us safely through. All we have to do is call out to Him. No matter what, He will be there. His love is steadfast, it endures forever.

Romans 10:13 NLT, “For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”

Jesus Our Hope

Psalm 25:3 NIV, “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.”

We can never go wrong when our hope is in Jesus Christ. He will not allow us to be put to shame. We can always look to Him for the strength, peace, and direction that we need. His grace is sufficient for us. The hope we have in Him is not an empty hope, because He is alive. He is our Risen Savior. Hoping in Him will never lead to disappointment.

Romans 5:5 NLT, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

When we fill empty, His Holy Spirit will fill our hearts with love. The love He pours into our hearts is a daily reminder of His presence with us. Everyday we can hope in Him because He will never leave us, He will never forsake us. His love is truth. We can place our hope in Him and be safe. The security and peace of mind we desire is found in Him. No matter how unstable the world becomes, we can anchor ourselves in Him.

Don’t lose hope. Stay focused on the Light of Jesus. His Light will guide your way.

Reaching Out to Touch Jesus

Matthew 9:20-22 NIV, “20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.”

Every time I read this passage of scripture, I can’t help but get a mental picture of this scene. I can see a woman pressing her way through a large crowd, struggling to reach out and touch the cloak of Jesus. She had been sick for twelve years. Perhaps she had been believing God to bring her healing and restoration for just as long. So when she saw Jesus, she believed He would heal her and she could hardly wait to reach out to Him.

She’s not much different from many of us today. We are trying to reach out and touch Jesus. Rather we are believing Him for healing and restoration, direction in a situation, provision for a financial need, or perhaps just strength to make it through one more day, we keep reaching out to the Master.

I have had many times where I have read these verses and thought it sounds so simple to just get what I desire from Jesus. But it’s easy to overlook the twelve years part. Although in that moment, her healing came instantly, there were twelve years before her healing that she had to persevere through her trials. There was a journey she had to endure before her healing came.

The good news is that Jesus is with us as we travel through life. He has a purpose in everything, and our suffering is never without a cause. The road to whatever healing we need can be long and hard, or it can come quickly.

We just have to keep trusting that God hears our prayers and will do what is best for us according to His will. We can have peace knowing that Jesus will never leave us. Everything we need to live from day to day is found in Him. He will help us overcome the difficulties we must face.

Jesus Christ Never Changes

Hebrews 13:8 NIV, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

I’m very thankful that our Savior remains the same. His unchanging nature gives us a solid foundation. We can rely completely on Him to be who He says He is, and do what He has promised to do.

The world is ever changing. We can look back and easily see how much the world has changed over the years. We never know what to expect from day to day. But God and His Word are constant. We can rest knowing He will never forsake us and that He will faithfully take care of us. In Jesus Christ our future is secure. His love remains the same.

Nothing we encounter takes our Lord by surprise. He will walk with us and hold our hand through all things. We can put our complete confidence in Him. Regardless of what you are facing, may the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus as you start this new week (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

God Forgets Our Sins

Hebrews 8:12 NIV, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

In our human nature, forgetting our past sins can sometimes seem impossible. We remember. Since we remember, we must overcome shame, guilt, and all other feelings of inadequacy. Even knowing that God has promised to forget our sins, it can still be a struggle for us to let go.

There have been many times I have been so angry and disappointed at myself for falling into sin. Even after repenting before God, the anger would continue. I knew I was forgiven by God, but my mind kept going around in circles, rehashing my sin and trying to figure out how I could have allowed myself to fail.

I remember one day I was praying, and the Holy Spirit begin to give me a fresh revelation of the Cross. I understood with complete clarity that the work Jesus Christ did was enough. No amount of guilt or shame that I had, could ever add to His finished work on the Cross. We as humans can know something in our minds, but it takes the power of The Holy Spirit to help us understand it in our hearts, and fully accept it as truth.

Understanding God’s forgiveness with our hearts, is what will bring us freedom. Freedom to enjoy the present and embrace the future. Freedom to be all He created us to be, and freedom to receive His unconditional love everyday. Holding on to our past, is part of the enemy’s attempt to steal from us. But greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

In Christ, we are free to repent of our sins and receive His forgiveness. He will empower us to live for Him shame free and guilt free. Once we repent, He remembers our sins no more.

God’s Working Things Out

Romans 8:28 NIV, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This verse is a true expression of God’s sovereignty. When we love Him, and we are dedicated to His purpose, He causes everything in our lives to work together for good. Of course it may not seem like it when we are going through hard times, but everything that happens, both good and bad, are part of His bigger plan. Often times, we have to look back and recall God’s blessings, to better see how He has worked things together for good.

Psalm 77:12 NIV, “I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

The Psalmist took time to meditate on all the mighty things God had done. Doing so wiIl strengthen our faith and trust in God. I know for me, I can look back over my years in the workplace and see numerous times God has worked things out for my good. For example, one time I left a company that had a bad work environment, and shortly after leaving, half of my department was let go. God spared me the drama of having my job snatched away. He knew what was up the road. His timing for me to leave “in advance” was perfect.

With God, none of our experiences are ever wasted. Rather good or bad, He will use them for His glory and our growth. Like the Psalmist, we should take time to meditate on God’s mighty deeds. Then we can be reminded of His goodness and mercy that follow us, each and every day of our lives.

Meditate on His Goodness

He Meets Us Where We Are

One of the things that I love most about the Lord is that He meets us where we are. He understands everything we are going through. Even when we don’t understand ourselves or our situation, He does. Every step we take is a part of His greater, magnificent plan for our lives. Even when we may feel He is distant, He is near. He knows exactly what we need to get through each new day He allows us to see.

Psalm 145:18 NIV, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

He doesn’t give up on us, or the purpose He has for us. We’ll go through times where our faith may be weaker than other times. We’ll have to endure unexpected tests and overcome trials. However we’ll also learn many valuable lessons, and experience victories along the way. Regardless of what we go through, our Lord meets us where we are. His grace will always be sufficient to carry us through.