Take It Easy...

Have you ever been too hard on yourself? I know I have. I've thought, for example, I haven't done this or I haven't done that or why do I keep making the same mistake or even I just can't seem to get it right. Yikes, I'm worn out just thinking about it!

When that happens, it's time to go to God's Word and see what God thinks about you!

1John 3:1-2:  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Now THAT is some kind of love! That's amazing.

Ephesians 1:4-6  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Uh-oh, wait a minute. If I'm "chosen in Him" and "holy and without blame before Him in love," maybe that is what I should be thinking instead. In the face of any faults or insecurities, I'm still chosen in  Him and "holy and without blame before Him in love."

He even "made us accepted in the beloved." Wow, since He made me that way and He accepts me, maybe I better take it easy on myself.

It's time to bask in God's love. Just sit back and relax and languish in His love. He's not condemning His children; Jesus Christ died for us and carried our sins to the cross.
Aaaahh! Now that is something to think about. That is something to tell yourself the next time all those other pesky thoughts try to sneak in.
Make it a great day with God!

God Won't Give Up on You

No matter how dark the days, no matter how long the struggle, God doesn't give up on His children. God is always merciful to us!

Psalm 136:1  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

God's mercy is His withholding of merited judgement. We deserve it, but He withholds it! So no matter how many times we may stumble, God is ready, willing, and able to be merciful to us.

Psalm 136 is a fantastic psalm, with "his mercy endureth for ever" in every verse! You might read it once and think, "well, that's nice" but it might not really sink in. You might even read it again and start pondering that this still applies today. But by the time you read it in all 26 verses, there's no denying that God's mercy truly endures forever. I highly recommend reading it aloud to yourself whenever you need a nice mercy-filled pick-me-up.

God is always ready to forgive. For those who are born again, it's as simple as going directly to our heavenly Father and asking forgiveness.

1John 1:6-9:  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

"Cleansed from all unrighteousness" is as good as it gets. This isn't 90 % cleansed. This isn't forgiven except for that one time. This is 100% absolutely, totally cleansed from all unrighteousness. Jesus Christ is our absolute savior. 

We have great joy when we walk in fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ.

For those who are not born again yet, they can confess the savior from sin, Jesus Christ, as lord and believe that God raised him from the dead, in order to be saved. This is the greatest new beginning of all!

Romans 10:9,10:  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

No matter who you are or what situation you are in, God won't give up on you. Go to Him with your burdens. Great is His faithfulness, and His mercy endures forever!

Don't Give Up on God

Have you ever had trouble really expecting an answer from God?  Maybe your situation just seems too drastic-- too many years of dealing with the same problem, something the world considers irreversible, perhaps even something you have never considered asking God for previously.  Well, God has an answer for you if He has promised it in His Word.

Numbers 23:19: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

When you are facing a difficult situation, search out the promise of God that applies to you. Then no matter how daunting your situation may be, declare God's Word regarding it!

Hebrews 10:23:  Let us hold fast the profession [confession or declaration] of our faith [believing] without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.)

And remember, your past experience does not govern your current results.

Philippians 3:13,14: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Don't count on the past; stand on the truth of God's Word.  He is faithful who promised!