2013...A Great Year to Believe God!

Are you ready? It's a great year, a great day, a great moment to believe God!
Are you ready to walk in love? Are you ready to know God's power in your life?
Are you ready for peace reigning in your heart? Are you ready for miracles?

This is going to be great!
                                more to come... 

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!

In Case of Emergency...Go to God

What would be the most important thing to know, in case of emergency?

 I dare say there is no one answer to that question, but here are some great responses from the scriptures!
When we go to the scriptures, we know clearly that God is always there for us. 
And He's not here to punish us; He's not here to mock us; He is here to help us!

Hebrews 13:5:
...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Psalm 46:1:
...God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Not only will our wonderful God never leave us, but He wants to help us.
Is Almighty God bigger than absolutely every kind of trouble? Yes He is! And He is our merciful, powerful Heavenly Father! His promises are sure and true, and God is faithful.  If you are ever tempted to doubt His mercy, turn to Psalm 136, which has His mercy in every verse.  Here is just the beginning of that wonderful psalm.

Psalm 136:1-4: O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 

God Almighty sent his Son because of His great love for us.  As Jesus Christ himself said in John 3:16 and 17,
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

So, in case of emergency, whatever the emergency, we can turn to God. He always loves us and is always with us.

Psalm 62:1,2,7,8:
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

When we see "selah" in the scriptures, God is telling us to "consider these things."  And truly these are great truths to stop and think about, to let sink in and make a strong part of our hearts! 

We can know and be assured that, in case of emergency, we can go to God! He wants to help us; He will never leave us nor forsake us; He is our very present help in time of need!

Anxious? God has a better idea!

If you had a choice, would you choose being anxious or peaceful?  I've got some great news for you! We have a choice.

Philippians 4:6,7:  Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

How many times a day do we have an opportunity to be anxious and stressful?  Maybe I should be anxious about a difficult situation at work or school? What about that nagging relationship that is always difficult? Or a car that never wants to run? Or even the economy? In the context of Philippians, Paul was in bonds; some Christians were teaching Christ out of contention and strife; they were not being likeminded on God's Word. And even though some preached Christ out of love, surely all that contention would justifiably cause mental distractions and anxiousness.

But according to God's Word, what should we be anxious about? NOTHING.

Then what can we do instead? We can choose to turn to God in prayer.  "...but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

"In every thing," not just some things. God isn't just for Sundays; He cares about every part of our lives, every day of our lives. Is it mundane or dramatic; is it minor or cataclysmic? Whatever the situation, God does not want us anxious; He wants us to pray.  "By prayer and supplication" indicates by general prayer to God and by requests for specific needs.  We can do this "with thanksgiving" when we understand just a few things about prayer.

1John 5:14-15: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

First of all, we want to pray according to God's will.  Then we know He hears us and whatever we ask, according to His will, we receive.  God's Word tells us God's will.  So as we pray according to what He has promised us in His Word, we know, not question or doubt, that we have our answer.

Jesus Christ taught that in order to receive answers to prayer, we must believe.

Matthew 21:22:  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

So when we are faced with being anxious, instead we can go to God with requests for specific needs, according to what He has promised us in His Word.  As we believe His promises, we know we have the petitions we desire of Him.  Of course we do it "with thanksgiving!"

Philippians 4:7:  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Aahhh, the peace of God!  It is more excellent than every way of thinking and it "shall keep [guard] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Be anxious?  Not necessary. Every day, every year, God has a better idea!

Rejoicing and Being Glad!

Any day, any time, we can choose to rejoice and be glad.

Psalm 9:2:
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

On any given day, we can turn our thoughts to God, His great love for us and all that He has already done for us through His Son Jesus Christ, and we can rejoice and be glad! The Psalms speak repeatedly of rejoicing and being glad.

Psalm 31:7, 8:
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

What a wonderful pattern for our own joy and praise to God.
When we have trouble, God makes a way where there is no way. He will deliver us; He supplies our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Psalm 32:10, 11:
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

God's wonderful mercy endures forever!

Psalm 90:14:
O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Every day, regardless of our circumstances, there is much to rejoice about, for the spiritual truths are far greater than any earthly circumstances.

Psalm 40:16:
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

It is repeated again in Psalm 70.

Psalm 70:4:
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

What a wonderful thing to focus on! What a great perspective to have!
If your day is less than great, God is greater! We can turn to Him and seek Him and He will hear our prayers.

Psalm 118:24:
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.