Month: February 2016

Impossible Situation

I wonder how many times I have felt the situation I was in was impossible?  Why would I think like that at times when I need God the most?  We are called to live in His power not our own. For whatever reason,  I need to confess, many times I try to do it on my own power for my own purpose.  He can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

Matthew 1:20

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the Lord

Job 42:2

“I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted

Jeremiah 32:17

‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you

Promises in a Verse

I love the promises found in this verse.  “I will be his God and he will be my son.”  “I will give from the spring of water of life without payment”

Revelation 21:6

Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death

2:7

To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God

3:5

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches

Witnesses for God – In Living and Saying

It is a constant theme in the bible – We are to be witnesses for God in both how we live and what we say.  If the desire of our heart and purpose of our life is to honor and glorify God we will have many opportunities to choose to speak and show acts of kindness, love, hospitality, joy, hope, generosity…..  How is He leading you today?  What opportunities is He giving you to be used by Him?

Isaiah 66:19

to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations

Romans 15:20

and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named….

“Those who have never been told of him will see,

and those who have never heard will understand

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth

Redemption through Jesus

There is a time of judgement coming.  Thank you God for redemption through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  Thank you for making Yourself know and for guiding me through this side of eternity.  

Isaiah 66:15

“For behold, the Lord will come in fire,

and his chariots like the whirlwind,

to render his anger in fury,

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment

2 Thessalonians 1:7

when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed

2:9

because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness

Galatians 4:8

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world

Hand of God Working

It is good to be able to see the hand of God working in your life. Seek Him and He will be found.  He is our strength and our refuge.

Isaiah 66:14

the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants

Ezra 8:22

For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty

8:31

The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way

2 Chronicles 15:2

The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them

God’s Word is Given to Us

God’s word is given to us so that through it we begin to understand Him.  We know that He speaks to our heart, shows us right from wrong, guides our feet on steady ground, wants our heart desire to desire Him, and wants to give our life purpose.  He also gives us counsel/warning.  I wonder how many times I have not listened and obeyed.  

Isaiah 66:4

 I also will choose harsh treatment for them

and bring their fears upon them,

 because when I called, no one answered,

when I spoke, they did not listen;

 but they did what was evil in my eyes

and chose that in which I did not delight.”

 

Proverbs 1:24

Because I have called and you refused to listen,

have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

 because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

 I also will laugh at your calamity

Psalms 81:11

“But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

 Oh, that my people would listen to me

He has Given Life and Breath

God said “heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool”.  He has given all mankind life and breath.  He also says “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you.  I have chosen you, I am with you, and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”  Awesome verses.

Isaiah 66:1

Thus says the Lord:

 “Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house that you would build for me,

and what is the place of my rest?

 All these things my hand has made,

and so all these things came to be,

declares the Lord.

Acts 17:24

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything

Isaiah 422:5

Thus says God, the Lord,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

 who gives breath to the people on it

and spirit to those who walk in it:

 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you

Isaiah 41:9

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

 fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand

Seek God for your Struggles

I wonder how many times I went to bed and did not seek God for the struggle I was in?  Why is it so easy to stay in a place apart from God?  What keeps me from taking it to Him and laying it at His feet?  How many times do I have to try to handle it on my own without any peace or rest?  One day or one night is too many.

Isaiah 65:24

Before they call I will answer;

 while they are yet speaking I will hear

Psalms 32:6

Therefore let everyone who is godly

offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;

surely in the rush of great waters,

they shall not reach him.

 You are a hiding place for me;

you preserve me from trouble

30:4

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

 For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

 Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning

Focused on God

Keeping our eyes focused on God and His promises may not immediately remove the current pain or struggle we are going through, but it does give us hope.  Hope founded in faith.  Trusting Him, clinging to Him, and relying on Him.  

Isaiah  65:17

“For behold, I create new heavens

and a new earth,

and the former things shall not be remembered

or come into mind

2 Peter 3:13

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace

Gladness of Heart

Isaiah 65:13

Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, my servants shall eat,

but you shall be hungry;

behold, my servants shall drink,

but you shall be thirsty;

behold, my servants shall rejoice,

but you shall be put to shame;

 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart,

but you shall cry out for pain of heart

and shall wail for breaking of spirit

Psalm 5:11

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;

let them ever sing for joy,

and spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may exult in you.

 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;

you cover him with favor as with a shield

Psalm 2:12

Blessed are all who take refuge in him

There are times gladness of heart seems so far away.  The pain this world throws at us is unbearable but aren’t you glad we have God who we can take refuge in.  He comforts the broken hearted and has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  Our peace and rest are found in Him alone.