The OT prophets had it pretty rough. They faced rebuke and persecution from all sides, especially when their message was the total opposite of what the people wanted to hear. So where did this boldness come from? How were these mild-mannered, many times even timid men able to stand before Kings and High Priests proclaiming God’s Word? It was the Holy Spirit within, enabling them to go boldly into battle for the Lord. Are you brave enough to pray the prayer the Apostles did in Acts 4:29? ” Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak Your Word with great boldness.” Boldness empowered by the Holy Spirit will change your perception. For you’ll no longer have your limited vision, but God’s.
Tag: relationship with god
Psalm 107
I urge you to read this Psalm sometime today…for within the 43 verses, you’ll see yourself portrayed somewhere. For this passage tells of those who wander and are lost. It tells of being in desperate situations…places that invoke feelings of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. There are the lost – those who are wandering alone in the wilderness. There are the guilty – those who are slaves to sin and full of shame and self-loathing. There are the fools – godless ones being deceived by the world. Finally, there are the tossed – those who have been battered by life’s storms. But in all these situations, when they cried out to God for help, He answered. So despite what you’re going through today… God is there, ready and willing to help you.
Psalm 143:10 ” Teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God; may Your good spirit lead me on level ground.”
God is the source of all truth… and the starting point of gaining this knowledge is the fear of the Lord. And as we learn to trust God, the closer we are drawn to Him and His love. Finally, as He shepherds us, we are lead to safe ground…a stable and unchanging foundation where we can build our life and hope upon.
Proverbs 12:25 ” An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”
You can ask my husband, I intentionally engage checkout clerks, wait staff and anyone else who may be helping me. I am polite and courteous, asking how their day is going and allowing them to talk. I ask thoughtful questions and encourage them with kind-hearted words. The other day I was speaking to a sleepy looking cashier at a large retail store…come to find out he had worked until 1am and was back again at 4am for his next shift. Sadly, we become so focused on our own agenda…our own needs…our own impatience – that we totally forget that it’s another human being standing in front of us, with their own story. I challenge you this holiday season to give a kind word to all those assisting you…for you don’t know how it may cheer them up.
II Timothy 1:7 ” For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
As a Believer, you have been given the Spirit of adoption and strength. No longer are you an orphan, fearful of tomorrow. No longer are you a slave to anxiety or dread, for you have been embraced by your Heavenly Father…taken in as family and becoming a joint heir with Jesus.
Proverbs 14:1 ” The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”
In most households, it’s either a mother or grandmother who’s the glue that holds the family together. They’re in charge of holiday dinners and celebrations, complete with all the family favorites and traditional foods passed down from generation to generation. But when they pass, many customs and practices can cease, unless the younger ones are willing to take up the mantle and carry on. Are you your family’s glue? You’re building your legacy with your own hands…strengthening and uniting your household and extended family into one. Keep up the good job!
Luke 21: 3-4 ” ‘I tell you the truth,’ He said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’ “
Anytime sacrificial giving is mentioned, people get real antsy. It’s not that we don’t want to give to Kingdom work…it’s just that we’re selfish. Now you’re probably thinking I’m talking about money…No, I’m not! I’m talking about something far more valuable to you than money…it’s your time. We’ll happily give to charitable organizations, relief funds, and soup kitchens…but ask us to volunteer our time and that’s a different story. It says in II Corinthians 8:12, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” God wants you, not your money…He wants you to volunteer rather than just donate to the cause…He wants you to give sacrificially of your most valuable resource…yourself.
Judges 6:27 ” So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.”
God had instructed Gideon to tear down his father’s false idols…and Gideon had obeyed, in a fashion. Instead of doing it in broad daylight though, he did it under cover of darkness, …all because of fear. He was afraid of what others would think. Fearful of retaliation, Gideon wanted to obey God, but also wanted to please people. It’s impossible to be a people pleaser and obey God at the same time…for you end up compromising yourself and your integrity.
Job 6: 2-3 ” Then Job replied: ‘If only my anguish could be weighted and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas – no wonder my words have been impetuous.’ “
The words of desperation, grief, and discouragement are heavy…they weigh us down to the point we can hardly breathe. This oppressiveness is only compounded by impulsive, frantic actions as we search for answers. It doesn’t help either if we’re sleep deprived. Sometimes the very best thing you can pray for is peace and rest. When our minds and bodies are frenetic, balance and reason can go out the window. Asking the Lord for peace, hope, and sleep can bring us back into alignment.
Psalm 142: 1-2 ” I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble.”
I used to be a long distance runner…and during those hours on the back roads, I’d yell at God. At the time, I was in the middle of a very personal hell and wanted God to know just how scared and powerless I felt. In my head, I knew the Lord was well aware of the situation…but in my heart, I needed to verbalize the pain. Baring my soul out loud to God was a way I could express feelings I had never spoken to anyone…no one. Putting words to pent-up fear and terror helped me gain perspective. By listening to my own words of anguish, my plight was somehow validated within me. Yes, I yelled at God, but He quietly listened to every word I spilled out…every inner most feelings I couldn’t tell anyone else. For God was there and He listened…He didn’t judge or admonish…He listened.
Safetypinlove 