Bad things happen to good people everyday. In varying degrees of severity, we all face challenges… unpleasant, sad, harmful, chaotic things, that affect our lives and the lives of loved ones around us. But the point of this Psalm is – whose report are you going to believe…the world’s or the Lord’s? When our eyes are fixed firmly on the Lord, our confidence and reliance can not be shaken…we can’t be intimidated by the circumstances we find ourselves in, for our heart is secure in the Lord.
Tag: relationship with god
II Corinthians 5:7 ” We live by faith, not by sight.”
I tend to be a real visual person. I like to see something, rather than have it described to me. Abstract concepts are easier to grasp, if I can look at something first. But my faith in the Lord is not anything I can grasp in my hand and gaze at. Rather, my trust and belief in Jesus is based on the unseen…my obedience founded on the eternal.
Romans 1:12 ” That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith.”
I’d love to hear how the Lord is working in your life…how He’s answered prayer, or provided in a time of need, or blessed you in an unexpected way. We all need to share these faith-building moments with each other, for by them, faith rises, confidence grows, and as a group, we are all urged forward in Christ.
Psalm 13:2 ” How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? “
Sometimes our worst enemy is our own mind. We struggle silently with our inner self…battling every negative self-image, each personal abasement, every gut wrenching dark emotion. And as we grapple with that inner self…we see that the enemy is no one else… but ourselves.
Psalm 19:9 ” The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.”
Stand in awe of God today. Look around you…contemplate your surroundings. Draw in a deep breath and consider what He has made. The inspiration and wonder of everything around you is from His hand. Stand in awe of God.
Psalm 19:7 ” The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”
The Law of the Lord is faultless and complete. And by walking in it, we are not only infused with new life within, but we gain insight and perception to do what is right in our daily walk.
I Peter 2:17 ” Show proper respect to everyone; love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”
Give what is fitting to all people…whether it’s brotherly love, respect, honor, or reverence. For no matter who we are, where we come from, our social status, or place in life…we all deserve respect…one to another.
I Peter 1:7 “These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
It’s been there growing all Summer. Hiding under the swing, growing between the pavers – a very tenacious and hardy Petunia. Mind you, I didn’t plant it there in that tiny sliver between the cement blocks…it came up entirely on its own. And all Summer it has fought for water, sun, and room to grow. So today as I admire this healthy plant full of pristine white flowers I can’t help but think of its perseverance in this hostile environment.
Despite all, it has not only grown strong, but bloomed with dazzling snow-white flowers. Thank you Lord, for your life lesson embodied in this determined petunia! May I be just as resolute in my faith for You.
John 11:40 ” Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ “
Faith is not common sense…and common sense is not faith. The two are about as far apart as our natural life is from our spiritual life. Our human logic will get us into trouble every time we look at God…for we want to put God into a tidy little box, but it just doesn’t work that way. Faith in God, is seeing the situation through His eyes, and not ours…it’s trusting God when our human reasoning has all but given up…it’s believing when there’s nothing else left to do.
Psalm 9:1 ” I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.”
When was the last time you did just that?… When was the last time you told someone what the Lord’s been doing in your life? It encourages all those around you when you testify to the mighty deeds and miracles God has done in and through you. We all need to hear and be inspired by each other’s victories and thanksgivings. So, don’t keep them to yourself…tell someone today what God’s been up to in your life.
Safetypinlove 