Trusting God

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

It is easy for someone to say “get a grip,” when they are not the one who is upset or stressed or worried. We in and of ourselves have nothing to grip, but we do have our faith that God is on our side and that He will take care of us and all our needs.

If we believe that God’s word is true, then we can know that God is in control and that He is watching out for us. We cannot change anything by worrying, but we can change our attitude to one of trusting God.

Memorize this scripture and when anxiety reaches out to grab you, say this out loud once or twice or three times or more. Let your heart and mind find peace.

I Have Hope

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I have hope in Him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him.

Lamentations 3:22-25

Can We Talk? Oh, So Much.

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Proverbs 17:28

I am a talker. Sometimes I do not know when to shut up. My foot is frequently in my mouth. It took me a long time before I realized this about myself. Then I began to understand the power of silence. Silence sends a message because even when we are not talking we are communicating.

This is not to say that when we see wrong doing that we should not speak up and defend the defenseless, but to say we need to know when to stop talking and listen.

I will add that the ability to talk with people and take an interest in people goes a long way when it comes to taking the Gospel to the world. While it would be nice if the world showed up at church and the pastor could do all the work that is not the way it works. Even the Apostles had to go out and talk to people to get them to the point where they were interested in the Gospel message.

So, if you are a talker like me, maybe you can talk a little less and if you are quiet maybe you can talk a little more, and we will see if we can fill up the Church with new faces for the New Year.

We Are Nice, But...

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself; ‘God I thank You that I am not like other people: Swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast saying, ‘God be merciful to me, the sinner!’

"I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

We think we are nice. And, for the most part we are, but you and I both know that occasionally our own opinions about ourselves can get in the way of what God wants us to do and be.

Jesus wants us to remember that we are all sinners and that we are all forgiven by grace, not because of anything we do. We live righteous lives not so people will think well of us, but because it is what Jesus would have us to do.

And, likewise, Jesus wants us to be merciful to those who struggle in life. Not everyone can be wealthy and not everyone has an easy ride in overcoming sin, but just the same, salvation through Jesus Christ is available to everyone, and we need to be mindful of this and keep our less than kind judgements to ourselves.

Be thankful, be merciful and be kind.

Falling Into Place

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

We think we have everything figured out and then BAM! Everything falls apart or at least that is what we think.

God’s plans are much more complicated than our plans and reach far beyond the here and now. What we think is a mess may be God sorting things out and into the proper order for what He has a mind to do.

This can be hard to accept when the car won’t start or when our human relationships fall apart or when the bills pile up, but what we need to keep in mind is that we are part of God’s plan and that when everything seems out of balance we need to watch out because God is going to do something.

Remember, things are not falling apart, they are falling into place.

Look Forward

 

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isiah 43:18-19

Woo Woo It's A New Year

 

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth

Does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable.

He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait for the Lord

Will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,

They will run and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:28-31

A New Year inspires us to think that things will be different. We make resolutions to change our lives. We gain new confidence that the New Year will bring better things. We are on a positive self-possessed roll.

Then a couple days later we wake up and discover that nothing has changed. Last year’s problems still dog us. Our boss is still mean, the car won’t start and we, who felt so empowered, are once again feeling defeated. Why is this?

Perhaps we missed something and that something is that God has a plan, and that plan includes us and everything that happens to us. Every day we are given opportunities to see the hand of God moves in our lives and opportunities to tell others how God has blessed us and will bless them too.

In the New Year we can change our attitude to one of praising God and thankfulness for even the smallest victories in life. Life will not be perfect, but God is perfect and He loves us and for us.

God promises us power and strength. Let us claim those promises.

Happy New Year!