No matter what the world throws at you this coming year…remember that with the Lord you can overcome it. Whether it be troubles pressing down upon you from the outside, or anguish that comes from within…you can rise above them all with His help. Don’t try to make it on your own…God is there, ready to take those burdens. And in the end, you’ll rise victorious over all the pain and suffering.
Tag: faith in Jesus
Daniel 3: 16-18 ” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’ “
The three Hebrew children knew just where their strength came from…there was no need to defend themselves before the king. For their faith and trust in God enabled them to rest in the knowledge that the battle was the Lord’s, not theirs. We too don’t need to fight our battles alone…the Lord is standing ever ready to advocate for us. All He asks is that we walk in faith while He does the work.
Proverbs 14:3 ” A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. “
Prudence…a word you seldom hear now a days. It’s definition means to have carefulness and foresight. If before we spoke, we would employ both these concepts mentally…I dare say we would not be blurting out things we wish we hadn’t said.
Matthew 1: 20-21 ” An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joeeph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.’ “
When the angel came to Mary she had questions, but in the end accepted the unfathomable. With Joseph though, it wasn’t that easy. The very human feelings of hurt and rejection were evident in his decision to divorce Mary quietly. And it certainly was within the Law to dismiss her from the bond of marriage with a Certificate of Divorce for her perceived conduct. But before this could happen, the angel visited Joseph and convinced him that what Mary had told him was true…she in fact had not been unfaithful. The Lord will sometimes give us a promise so wonderful and far-fetched that we can’t put our heads around it either…it’s at that point we will make the decision to either believe God or reject it based on our shallow emotions.
Isaiah 9:6 ” For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…
All of humanity was lost…floundering in a sea of sin…sinking to never rise again. When a baby was brought forth…God bestowing this precious gift on all. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son – Jesus Christ – to bridge the chasm between God and man…and bring eternal life to a dying world.
Micah 5:2 ” But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be Ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
700 years later, in a quiet unpretentious little town, the Messiah was born. There was no fanfare, no pomp and pageantry…just a barn and a baby. The Lord would rather use the humble…the plain and ordinary to do His best work. Common, simple people are His very best instrument for some of His most wonderful miracles. Don’t ever dismiss yourself as someone God could never use…for in fact, you are exactly who He wants.
John 15:26 ” When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth Who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me.”
Right before Jesus left this earth, He designated the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete…another of equal quality in His place. The Holy Spirit is called a Paraclete because He undertakes Christ’s office here while Christ is away from the world. Bearing witness to the absolute, ultimate, and saving truth of Jesus, the Holy Spirit gently nudges us ever in the right direction.
Galatians 3:26-28 ” You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ…There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.”
We are all one in Christ. There is not one nationality or people group above another in God’s sight. We are all one in Christ. There is no social or economical stigma in God’s family…for we all stand equal in His eyes…from the least to the greatest. We are all one in Christ. There are no gender barriers stopping any of us from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose in our lives. We are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:11 ” In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will…”
You are not a mistake. No matter what people tell you, God’s divine Will included you as an important part in this world. He has a unique purpose for your life here on earth…your birth was foreordained by Him…He knew you before you were even conceived. You are not a mistake, but a valuable part of God’s plan.
Luke 7: 13 ” When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry.’ “
Jesus and His Disciples were traveling to a town called Nain, when they came upon a funeral procession of the only son of a widow. Jesus looked on her with compassion, for she had not only lost her only boy, but also her sole means of income. This tenderness towards the woman was prompted perhaps by Jesus remembering His own mother and what she soon would be going through. For Jesus then spoke to the corpse , “Get up!” and the young man sat up and Jesus gave him back to his mother.