TRUSTING GOD THROUGH THE STORM

                         Knowing by faith that God will not fail you 

Every problem and troubling situation believers face in this life is allowed by God  for a specific purpose.  He is working out something far greater than what appears to be happening as he guides the process of transforming you into the image of Christ.  Your faith is being sharpened as a sword to equip you for the battles of this world.  The path of victory has already been set and there is nothing that can destroy a believer who has put his faith in the cross of Jesus.  We are commanded to be anxious for nothing and no one.  But,  is that still possible when the darkness of the storm surrounds us?

The truth is that the strength to endure every painful trial is with you in Christ.  If your eyes were opened to view the spiritual battle that is raging, you would see the grand army of the living God totally surrounding and protecting you with powerful weapons far greater than those against you. Though you will still endure the attacks of the enemy, your hope of victory is secure because of the cross of Christ.  You may be feeling weary and completely overwhelmed but the bible tells us that God is close to the broken-hearted and he is near to us in our pain.   He does not abandon you when your situation is bleak.  As you lift up your fears to him in thankfulness and prayer, you allow his power to be unleashed in your life as he takes your struggle and makes it work into his perfect plan for you. God knows your weaknesses and has seen your failures yet his power is  more than enough to take you safely through.  You may be wounded but you will never be destroyed! 

The Apostle Paul knew that each step of his journey was put in place by his Savior.  He learned how to wait on God for all that he needed.  He was able to be content even in suffering and persecution because he trusted in Christ.  He never thought that God forgot about him when he was without food or money.  He was willing to endure whatever it took for his purpose in Christ to be fulfilled.  The thorn in his side was not to take him down but to remind him that it was all for God’s glory. Paul expressed his trust in 2 Timothy 1:12 when he said, ” For I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is more than able to care for that which I give to him for this day“.  That is faith in action!

God is not late to help us even when all hope appears to be dwindling down. Even the  timing of Christ’ suffering and death on the cross was planned long before the world was formed.  It happened at the perfect, precise moment that God chose it to be.  There was no detail left undone as Jesus completed the work of redemption for a lost world. Sin and death was overcome by the cross as Jesus uttered this powerful promise saying, “It is finished!”  

Take heart, dear beloved, and know without a doubt  that your situation is not dead.  It is being worked out in the timing of God who already knows the outcome.  There is an eternal purpose for your suffering.  You are not waiting for God to show up for he already has.  You are holding on for the perfection of the plan he is now working out  in your life. 

The struggles and trials you suffer are always an opportunity for God to reveal his power to you.  Each time a painful situation brings you to your knees, use that position to give glory to God!  It frustrates the devil when you do.  Never let the enemy convince you to surrender in the heat of battle for you are nowhere near being defeated.  You have been made more than a conqueror through Christ and he is not about to let you fail.

 Dear Lord,  I pray that you make your promise and your hope real to those who are struggling in a painful circumstance.  Help them to know that you are with them no matter how weary they become.  Strengthen them in your will and give them your peace to hold onto the truth.  Amen

AT THE WATER’S EDGE

                                     Trusting Christ alone to get you safely across

  I want to bring  a message of truth for those struggling in this lost and perishing world.  If you belong to Jesus Christ, you must stop acting as the world does every time a crisis happens in your life.  We are children of the Promise and nothing can change that or destroy the purpose God has for our lives.  Don’t let a little shaking of the ground or the darkness of the storm around you cause you to take your eyes off the One who ransomed your life for all eternity!  It is nothing less than blasphemy against your God to let the enemy see you giving more credence to his lies than to the truth of Jesus Christ!  How many rivers and seas does God have to part before we will believe that he has all the power we ever need to fight our battles?

It takes true faith to trust that God is actually going to work your struggles out for your good.  God never fails and he is faithful but the silence can be tormenting as you wait on  his promises to be  fulfilled.  The enemy will taunt you to make you doubt God’s faithfulness, but the truth is that he is a  defeated foe whose only weapon is his lies.  The purpose and plan of God for your life have been settled long before you were created.  Every single detail was known by God and he provided a way through every one of them.  All it takes is for us to keep our eyes on him and trust him, but so often we forget what he has done for us in the past. 

 Each trial brings fear and anxious thoughts.  The devil always has a way to make you see the worst of each situation.  For that reason, you are to take captive every thought and line them up to be obedient to the teachings of Christ.  He has told us that he can rescue us from any situation.  God’s has already planned in advance to supply the power that is needed for his people to climb the  hills and survive the valleys in this life.  There is not a single struggle you endure that he has not seen long before the world was created.  Why then do we still worry that God is not going to show up in time to help us?  Do we actually believe that the Creator of this world and everything in it  is going to forget  a single detail of our lives?  Our hope is secure and the battle is won in every area of our lives.  All that we must do is surrender our weaknesses to the one who can work them all out for our good.  It means waiting and trusting while the battle rages on knowing that we are victors.  There is no such thing as a defeated Christian!  Stop carrying around burdens that are not yours.  Worry is a tool that the enemy uses to deflect the truth from believers.  He can’t steal your joy so don’t just hand it over to him when problems arise.

The fact is that God will always take you to the edge of the water so that his power will be revealed as he makes a way to cross when there is none. You need to get to the end of your own strength before you can understand the immeasurable power that God has.   Weary believers need to wake up and realize that God ’s plan for your life cannot be hindered by your impossible situation.  There is never a time when he leaves you to work things out on your own.  It is for his good purpose that he allows the storms in your life.  He is working out a perfect plan for you that has eternal rewards.  You usually won’t understand the reason for all that happens to you but your faith should still  not waver.  Jesus is truth and he has said he will not forsake you! 

Jesus said to his Apostle Thomas in John 20:27, “Stop doubting and believe.”  That is his command to us today. Your problems can’t destroy you unless you let them.  God still knows how to part the waters, move the mountains and hold back the sun to help you in the battle you are facing.  To give up is to give in to the lie of a defeated enemy.  That army of the living God has surrounded the camp and is taking back what was stolen from you!  You are a force to be reckoned with because Christ is your leader.  Never forget that your life was redeemed by the righteous blood of Jesus and he is not ever going to let you lose this fight!

 

Dear Lord,  for those who are struggling and in a painful trial, I pray that you will help them to see that this message is for them!

STANDING ON THE PROMISE

   Being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see!

 

In Psalm 69:1, David cries out to the LORD , “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck, I sink in the miry depths where there is no foothold.  I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help.”  How many of us feel like that right now?

Even those who have put their faith in the cross of Christ can  find it difficult to survive in this fallen world where there is bad news after bad news and each day brings another set of problems.  It is truly heartbreaking to watch so many people struggling financially.  Those who were once secure in their homes are now  facing foreclosure. Disease and sickness is affecting every family in some way.   We now have a  lethal flu that is threatening to become pandemic. Homes are broken as the enemy seeks to destroy the family and deceive our children.  Disasters of every kind are reported in countries all over the world with increasing occurrence and severity.  Immorality is rampant and accepted.  The ways of God are perverted as we now label sin as “choice”!   Paul tells us in Romans 1:25, “They exchanged the truth for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised.”   Sadly, God has been thrown out of  decisions made by our government leaders as they give in to the clamor of the lost.  Mankind now believes he has a better way than God to do things.  That is a lie from Satan himself who somehow convinced one third of the angels  in heaven and in the presence of the true and holy God that there was something better!  He is the father of lies.  Ask yourself, who do you believe when troubles surround you?

The truth is that Jesus died to give us hope with a promise that he will be with us to the end.  You may be hard pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted and struck down in your life but you can never be destroyed!  There now is no power to defeat those whose trust is in the cross of Jesus Christ.  Though the world is darkened as evil fills the sky, believers will always have a light to shine on the path they are to take.  It is by faith that we know that God will complete the good work that he started in us.  We need unwavering trust to believe and not doubt that Jesus has a plan that cannot be stopped by the problems of this world.  It does not matter how impossible your situation is or how painful your heartache,  God  knows how to move mountains and part the waters of trouble so that you can get to that place in your life that he has ordained for you long before you were born.  The trials and struggles that you face are merely the wind that he uses to transform you into the image of  Jesus Christ!  He can still save your marriage, give you victory over addictions, heal your body, and restore your finances.  There is nothing too hard for him who first loved you.

All that you need to survive in this world is within you if you have put your complete trust in Jesus and have made him Master of your life.  It is not in saying a certain prayer but by surrendering your life to his perfect will.  There is nothing good that you can do to save yourself but Jesus finished the work of our redemption when he gave his life for us.  He is alive to intercede on our behalf and he has prepared a place for us in heaven.  He did not die and leave us to fend for ourselves.  He is with us now.  He knows your name.  He sees your face. He hears your voice.  His strength is always with you.   And while others are standing on the sinking sands of a lost earth, you are standing on the promise of Jesus Christ who will not fail to keep you in the victory that he won.  You must stand and believe to the end.   We have nothing to fear from this world for our citizenship is in heaven, guaranteed by the blood of Christ.

My friends, I give this message because these days are very difficult and painful.  There is so much to deal with.  I just pray that you can trust that your hope is secure.  Christ will never fail you.  Even the enemy knows that we are more than conquerors through Jesus.  Believe the promise, mighty warrior, for the reward is yours for eternity! 

Dear Jesus, there is just  so much stress to deal with in our struggle to get through each day.  I pray that you will comfort those who read this message and give them your peace that will fill them with hope.  I pray that marriages will be healed; sickness cured and bodies made whole; strength to overcome bondage and addiction; healing for those who hurt; and, help in financial  struggles.  May they understand that the enemy is trying defeat them with his lies but that he has no power to destroy them or take them from you.  Help them to know that you are always can find a way for them.  I pray for favor for those who need a miracle right now in their life. We humbly bow and trust that you will not fail us.  We give thanks and praise in your name.   Amen

IS WORRY YOUR GOD?

                                            It all comes down to where you put your trust

 

 The promises of God are real and he has a way to work all things in your life for good.  He knows what it takes to rescue you from the pain and the struggles of this earth and how to make you stronger for having endured them.  He can do all things for he is the Creator of all that is on this earth and the heavens.  Nothing is impossible for the Lord.   With knowledge that God ’s love is enough, why do we still worry and fret when trouble comes upon us?

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 6:25-27,  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  

You are so valuable to God that he gave his only Son to suffer and die for you that you may have everlasting life!  There is nothing that he will allow to destroy those who belong to him, so to give in to worry and doubt is sin.

The truth in this verse is that when you worry, you are making your problems bigger than your God.  You are saying in effect that God is not strong enough or loving enough to help you through your trial.  When you give in to worry and fear, you are falling for the lies of the enemy who wants to destroy you.  He knows that God is more than enough to bring you to victory but he wants you to forget that.  We serve a risen Savior who came to this earth to bring us hope and to give us a future despite what we may have to endure.  He knew our problems and weaknesses long before we were born and he made a way to overcome all of them.  He has a perfect plan and a purpose for your life.  Even though you may have fallen short and rebelled against him, he can always lift you from your past and restore you to wholeness. 

All that it takes is for you to allow Christ to reign in your life.  You must make him first over all that you have.  In order for him to help you through the bondages that have kept you prisoner for so long, you need to trust him completely.  You must never take your eyes off Christ and put them on your problems. Only then will you fall.   Jesus is always bigger and stronger than anything the world throws at you.   You cannot be defeated for he has destroyed the power of the enemy.  Even death no longer holds fear for those who are in Christ for we will not perish but be made whole to live in heaven with God.  There is nothing that man can do to you that will crush you for you are protected by the right hand of  the King!

When you find yourself worrying and getting anxious about things that are going on in your life, seek Christ out in his word.  Let him fill you with peace as you read of his faithful promises to you.  Giving in to fear indicates a lack of faith.  You must trust that the One who gave you life will be able to sustain you no matter what happens!  Jesus died to release you from the prison of fear and worry.  Don’t go back into bondage when Jesus paid your bail in full.  His blood at Calvary covered your iniquities and made you righteous before God.  That is the power you need to cling to and to use when you are weak and weary.  Take the yoke of Christ for he will lift your burden and give you the strength you need to continue. 

 There is always hope when your trust is in Christ.  He is the Lifter of your head and the Restorer of things taken from you.  He can mend your heartache and bring your family together.  He has the power to provide for your financial needs no matter how impossible it seems.  He can heal your sickness and break the chains of your addictions.  Most importantly, he can give you the force to conquer any battle you must fight.  He knows your name.  He has numbered your days. His promise is to never leave you or fail to give you all that you need.  Give him your worry and anxious thoughts and let him bring you to a place of peace.   No matter where you are in your life, Jesus has a way to reach you!

 

Dear Lord,  I pray that you will touch all those who read this message and give them peace in the trouble they are experiencing in their lives.  Help them to know that you are with them and that you are bigger than their problem.  Give them the strength to walk in faith and not lose sight of the victory that you have given us.  Amen

TRUSTING GOD NOT YOUR MONEY

                                   He knows how to provide for your need

It is so difficult to watch the television reports each night as bad news just seems to get worse.  The economy is grim and has taken its toll on just about everyone. So many people are now without jobs and fear losing their homes.  The struggle of this bleak forecast is causing us all to take a closer look at how we spend our money.  People everywhere are now having to worry how they will survive in these dark days.

As tough as things are in this world, we serve a God who is the provider of all that we need.  He planned long before the world was formed to take us through every battle and every storm.  He knew what we would face and he has a way in his perfect plan to take us through no matter what the economy dictates.  But I wonder how many can continue to trust God when the bank is foreclosing on their home?

In Luke 12:22, Jesus said, ” Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.”  He then says in in verse 31, “ But seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be given to you as well”.  Worrying about your finances  is not going to change them.  It is only going to take years from your life.  Jesus did not leave us on this earth helpless and alone for he is with us in every struggle that comes our way. Your faith must not grow weary when times get tough.  Our God is the same in the night as he is in the day.  The darkness of your situation does not limit his power.  He is ruler over all things and he can bring peace into your life with just a word. 

Despite your difficulty,  it is  important to remember that God is always in control.  He is working all things out for his purpose.   The things of this world are perishing and will not last.  Although you may be struggling  just to make ends meet,  your faith can be earning for you a  reward that far outweighs anything you have to endure.   The evil of this world will  increase but believers have nothing to fear.  Jesus paid that ultimate price for our victory and nothing can destroy his plan for us. Christ has overcome the world and the enemy has been defeated. That means that you can have joy despite the storm you are in because we serve the Master over the wind and he will not let you perish.

Never let your problems or financial difficulties  make you doubt the power of your God!  He owns the sheep on a thousand hills and all that is created is his. He is so much bigger than anything that comes against you.  He is limitless and cannot fit within the confines of your finite minds. His will prevails in all situations.  It is the enemy of your soul that wants to fill your mind with fear and doubt that God will help you.  Don’t give him a foothold.  Take those thoughts of defeat captive and line them up with the promises of God. He hasn’t take you this far in your life just to have you fail now. 

Keep in mind that you are alive and breathing right now because of  God’s power.  Your heart is beating because he tells it to beat.  He put the sun in the sky; he tells the waters where to stop; he calls the stars out by name and he spoke the worlds into existence.  Do you still  think it is too difficult for him to find a way to help you work out your financial problems?  

My friend, God cares about the struggles you are facing.  Ask him to help you to stand in faith until he has brought you the victory.  Don’t give up when the prize is just ahead.  Psalm 32:10 tells us , “The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts him“.   That is his promise to you.

 

Dear Lord,  I know that many are having financial problems that seems like it is going to destroy them.  I stand in the gap for those who need a touch from you in the area of their finances.  I pray for jobs to be restored to those who have lost them.  I pray for new and better opportunities to be come about.  I pray for you to provide homes for those who need them.  I pray for you to provide them the food and transportation that they need..  I pray that you will be able to keep families together along with their pets.  I pray that they will keep their trust in you no matter how hard it gets.  Lord, help them to understand that you will not fail them.  You will come through for them at the perfect time and in the perfect way.  My heart is with them, Lord, and I know that your love will keep them.  Amen 

KNOW WHOM YOU HAVE BELIEVED

                                     God always has the power to help you overcome

So much is happening in this world and the struggle to survive is getting more difficult.  Everyone has been affected in some way by the economy as jobs are scarce and homes are being foreclosed on daily.  The increase of broken marriages is staggering even among Christians.  And it seems like so many health issues are affecting people everywhere.  Though prayers are being offered,  some may wonder if God’s power is enough to take us through.

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12, “For I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard that which I give to him for this day“.  That was a powerful statement coming from a man who in his lifetime was beaten, stoned, homeless and imprisoned.  How could such faith come from Paul in the midst of all that he had to endure?  It seems like God should have made Paul’s life a little easier since he was entrusted with bringing the good news of Christ to the lost.  But God’s ways are higher.

The truth lies in the fact that Paul intimately KNEW the God he served.  He was confident that he could have peace in his blessings as well as his trials.  He understood that in all things, God was working out a perfect plan that would strengthen Paul in this life and earn him reward in heaven. The reality was that God had a purpose in using all that came against Paul to further his kingdom as he transformed Paul into the image of Christ.  Paul was ready for the day when he would meet his Savior face to face.  For that reason he believed that to die was gain and to go on living was for Christ.  Paul was ready to do whatever was asked of him.

 The grace that you need to face all of the challenges in your life as a believer is living in you!  There is now no mountain of trouble and no sea of tears that can stop you from living an abundant life in Christ Jesus.  The enemy can’t do anything to you that God knows will destroy you.  You can’t lose the battle when the power of Christ is your force and your strength.  You must always remember that God knows your struggles and your pain.  It was by his will that you were  created and  by his word he spoke the universe into existence.  There is nothing hidden from the all-knowing, all present God.

God will always be sovereign over all that you go through.  In the book of Job, we read that Satan had to first ask  permission to come against Job.  Satan wanted to destroy Job but God knew that the testing was only going to make Job stronger in his faith and more blessed than before.  He knew his power would be more than enough for Job to overcome all of  the enemy’s attacks. Do you not know that the same is true for you and in your circumstance?  The wind, the waves and every storm and battle that you face must first come before Christ who allows only that which he will cause to be used for your good despite how painful it seems now.  Beloved, for that reason you must never give up.  Your God is working out blessings in your life that you can’t even imagine!  You may feel weak,  but God will keep you from sinking if you will just keep your eyes on him. 

In my own life, I am experiencing a struggle that is causing me much pain.  There are times I also feel overwhelmed and weakened from the battle that never seems to end.  It is difficult some mornings for me to just get out of bed.  Yet in my heart, I know the God whom I have believed.  I can trust through all things that  God will not fail me.  I may not see or feel him working out my problem, but I know that he is.  When I get weary, I turn to his word and seek his strength.  I have purposed in my heart to keep my trust in Christ no  matter how dark the storm gets.    Sometimes I write these posts through my tears.  It is difficult but I know my Redeemer lives!  He has taken me too far for me to give up now.  Each day I grow in the strength that he gives me.  All that I am going through has a purpose that God has designed and that he will work out in his perfect way.

 It is my prayer that  if you are in a difficult situation that you will give your pain to the One who paid the price to give you a future with hope. Jesus overcame all of our enemies and all of our problems by his death on the cross. There is nothing can can hold you in bondage if you will trust  that God is bigger.  I will be praying with you.  

 Dear Lord, there is so much darkness in this world and  we are all struggling to stay in the battle.  I pray for all of those who are just too weary to pray and who feel that you have given up on them.  I stand in the gap for those who are hurting and I pray that you will lead them to your perfect peace.  Let them feel your presence as you give them the knowledge that nothing will stop your plan and the future that you have ordained for them.  You are more than able to guard all the pain and struggles that we give to you for this day.  Open their eyes to see that you already have them surrounded by your angels who are greater than the troubles that come against them.  Please give them an understanding of your enduring love.  Amen

TRUSTING GOD’S POWER

                                                           Fear is a lie from hell

One of the greatest weapons that the enemy uses against us is doubt.  The devil himself knows the truth that believers are victors and mighty warriors in the army of God.  He knows that God has a plan for us that cannot be stopped by anything or anyone.   That means not by our weaknesses, not by our rebellion, not by our past and certainly not by the enemy whose power was overcome by the cross of Jesus Christ!

The strength to walk in victory  comes with a realization that God’s power will always be enough.  If you can understand that his plan was made long before we were created and he foreknew the struggles that we would face, then you can trust that he can rescue you whatever your situation.  Our Savior knew of the plans that the enemy had to destroy us and he knew how to take us through to victory.  A painful trial or circumstance in our life has no power except that which you give it.   If God already had knowledge of what you would have to endure and gave his power to overcome all things, why would you ever allow your problem to make you anxious?  When you give in to fear, you are giving in to the lies from a defeated enemy! 

You have to know who your God is.  You must seek for an understanding of his love that covers everything.  There is no bondage that can stand against the cross.  Jesus finished the work of salvation and he is alive and  intercedes for us every day.  Christ will always be sovereign over all that comes against us.  Everything in all of creation must submit to him!  Anything that he allows in your life is for a purpose and must conform to the plan that he has for your life.  Remember that God made us into his image from the dust.  He knows where you are and he knows your pain.  He created the 70 million trillion stars and calls them out by name each night.  There is no place you can go that can make him forget you.  The hairs of your head are numbered by him and he saw the length of your days on this earth before one of them came to be.  There is nothing in your life that is impossible for him.

It is not always easy to trust when you are in a battle with the spiritual forces of evil that fill this earth.  The days are dismal and filled with more problems.  Financial difficulties are hitting everyone.  Who can think about the future when it is hard enough to get through a day?  Yet that position is right where you need to be.  Christ will see you through all things but he will take you through one day at a time, sometimes minute to minute.  You won’t be able to see  where he is taking you so you must trust him with all of your heart.  Jesus did not die to lose you now!  Beloved, you will never be destroyed by this lost and crumbling world for you will be taken above it by the Spirit of  Christ who lives in you.  You aren’t standing on the perishing earth, you are standing on the Promise which is Jesus Christ! 

My friends, I want you to understand one very important truth.  It does not matter where you are, what problems you have or how low you have fallen.  If your hope is in the cross of Jesus, you will come through every battle as a conqueror.  The victory has already been won.  Never let the enemy or your painful situation convince you that God’s power is not enough.  It is more than enough.  The enemy of your soul knows this.  You need to know it also.  If you ever believe anything, believe this:  JESUS WILL NEVER FAIL YOU!

Dear Lord, I know the times are hard and people are struggling with the problems that this dark world brings.  I pray that you will open their eyes and affirm in their heart the truth that your power and love will take them through all things no matter how impossible it may seem.  Jesus, help them to know that you are the light which has conquered the darkness.  Let them know that whatever illness, bondage, marriage problem, financial issue or heartache they have, you always have a way to give them your peace.  You alone paid the price for our victory.  Jesus, I thank you for being all that we need.  Amen

GOD’S WAYS WILL ALWAYS BE HIGHER

         We do not need to understand, just to trust

 We serve a God of all hope who has an unfailing plan for all that he has created.  Those who have put their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ are now called children and co-heirs in the kingdom of God.  Yet as we hold on to this truth and live for Christ, the darkness of this present world can overwhelm even the most seasoned Christian.  As much as we trust and believe that God has  a purpose in all that comes against us, why is it so difficult to understand it when troubles besiege us?

The word of God tells us plainly in Isaiah 55:8-9,

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our finite reasoning can never align with God’s judgments.  His ways are perfect.  We are the dust of the ground who only have worth because we are loved by our Creator.  For the same reasoning, who can understand the love of a pure and holy God who would send his only Son to suffer and die to pay to redeem a lost and ungrateful people?  It is a love that knows no boundaries.  It is an all consuming love that never fails. God is never hedged in by our ways or our thoughts.  He knows the right and perfect way and he alone has the power to make it happen. 

When Jesus left this world,  he promised to send us the Holy Spirit who would be our helper.  He knew that there would be many problems for us while we are here and he knew that we would need his Spirit to get us through.  Day by day we are being transformed into the image of Christ by the Spirit’s power.  Our daily battles are fought and won by God’s right hand.  However, painful trials can make us question if God is really with us.   It is not an easy task to trust him when you watch as a loved one suffers.  It takes every ounce of strength to keep your eyes on God instead of your pain.  Many believers had to endure financial difficulties, marriage strife and heart aches of every kind.  Jesus did not say that we would be without these struggles.  He said that he would always be with us and give us the victory.  All that he allows is for a divine purpose.  He alone knows what it will take to fulfill the plan he had for our lives long before the earth was formed.  He knew every storm we would face while we were in our mothers’ womb.  He had a way to part the sea and move the mountains that would try to stop us.  And he knew that we would not understand his ways.  It would take an uncompromising faith in him that defied our reasoning to believe when we have no power to do anything else.

Paul tells us in Philippians 1: 29,” For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him“.   Who among us  can know the mind of God or understand his judgments?  Jesus said that we would not even comprehend the beauty of heaven until we got there.  No one in all of Scripture that God used for glory ever understood how or why God made them take the path that he did. Human logic certainly can’t explain it.   The fact that remains is that you will not ever understand why God allows evil at times to prosper while the righteous suffer.  That is when we have to trust in the unfailing love of God.  This love that we learn of when we are in the furnace of our affliction is the power that is going to take us into glory.  If we can trust and believe when the ground around us is crumbling, then we have shown ourselves to be true sons and daughters of  the living God!  And God has said that he will give an immeasurable reward to those who hold on and trust to the end.

You don’t have to understand the ways of God.  You only need to know of his unfailing love.  By his own word, God has promised to withhold no good from those whose walk is righteous.  That means that if you belong to Christ, every struggle, pain, heartache and suffering that you withstand is ordained and timed by him and will be used for your good.  You can’t lose because with Christ, you will always be more than a conqueror! 

Dear Jesus,  I lift up all those who are going through a painful time in their life.  I pray that you will give them the peace that they need to stand in trust knowing that you are with them.  Help them to know that you have a purpose and a direction for their lives that cannot be stopped by their circumstance.  I pray that they will understand that in you, there is always victory.  Please comfort them now with your love and hold them close to you.  Amen

 

 

 

MAGNIFY GOD NOT YOUR PROBLEMS

                 God will always be bigger than that which comes against you

We are living in a season of change and a pervading darkness is rapidly filling this earth.   People are struggling financially, physically and with each other as more than half of marriages end in divorce.  Satan has blinded the eyes of most and it is sad to watch people caught up in the bondage of alcohol, drugs, pornography and every form of deception.  Crime has increased and prisons are filled with lost souls.  The truth has been compromised as the enemy seeks to blind the world and destroy it.  Has he succeeded?

The Apostle Paul warns us in 2 Timothy 3 that there will be terrible times in the last days.  Believers must keep watch as the enemy seeks to weaken them and make them ineffective for the kingdom.  The days are growing short and our strength is only in the power of Christ who lives in us.  He has promised to never leave us and to help us in time of distress.   Our hope in times of testing is to magnify the Lord to see him as he truly is – which is always bigger than our problems.

Though God is always with us, we will have to suffer in this world.  If it is the storms of this life that cause us to grow in our faith, then God must allow this struggle to reveal his power and give us the knowledge of who we are in Christ.  His purpose and plan for our lives cannot fail.  You may feel alone in your time of pain but you never are.  You belong to him and  he has given his angels charge over you.  If you can magnify God and trust him in all things, he will prove himself faithful as he takes you through the furnace of your affliction and bring you safely to a place of his peace.  He has power over all that comes against you and there is always a purpose in what he allows in your life.

The strength to hold on is having knowledge of the God who created you.  His power cannot fit into the confines of our finite minds.  So what is impossible for us is never impossible for God.  Get hold of the fact that you aren’t going to completely understand the ways of God.  Who could understand why a holy, loving God would send his only begotten Son to die for the sins of an ungrateful world?  There is nothing good that you have that was not given to you by his power.  Yet we constantly just dwell on the question of why God allows bad things to happen to good people!  It is because this world is not heaven. This world is perishing and there will one day be an end to those who love evil.  But for now, we are aliens in a lost civilization and Christ has been sent as our only hope for salvation.  He has given those who believe in him the right to become joint heirs with him in a kingdom whose wonder cannot be described.  As unbelievable as it sounds, many are choosing to sell eternity with Christ in absolute perfection to the highest bidder of the perishing things of this world!

Trusting that God will work everything out and give to you all that he has promised can be difficult as the shadow of the enemy permeates this earth.  For that reason, it is so important that you see and understand the God who had no beginning and no end.  He is the source of all that is good and he withholds nothing of benefit from those who love him.  You have to know that God is bigger and stronger than all of the evil that is happening.  He sent Jesus to die for you so that you will have a future with promise.  He defeated death and made us more than conquerors in the battle of this world.

Remember always that the trials that assail you will one day end.  God has a plan to dry your tears and give you life everlasting with more beauty than your mind can comprehend.  The truth that sets you free and that gives you victory in every area of your life is the cross of Jesus Christ.  Because he loves you with an everlasting love, he was willing to pay the price for your debt of sin.  He doesn’t care how far you have strayed or how badly you have failed.  He has a love that will cover it all.

My friends, if you are reading this message and don’t know Christ, I hope that you will seek him now and ask him to reveal himself to you.  My prayers will be with you.  I may not know who you are or what problems you have, but God knows your name and he knows how to rescue you.  Your life matters to him. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light.  He is stronger than the enemy and his plan for you will never fail. That is the promise he died to give you!

TRUSTING THE PROVIDENCE OF CHRIST

Do you really believe that the love of Christ is all you need?

The Scriptures say in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Those are powerful words! God SO loved us that he was willing to give his Son as a bloody sacrifice to save us while we were still lost in our sin. That speaks of a love so all encompassing that it defies our understanding.

Within that love that God has for us is his ability and willingness to provide all that we need. He did not just die and save us then leave us to fend for ourselves. Jesus paid the price so that we would be victorious in all of our circumstances. He is more than able to cause all of our problems to be used for our good. There is no trial we suffer that takes him by surprise. He has a plan for our lives that was made long before the world was formed. When Christ defeated death at the cross, he crushed the power of any force to destroy us. It is finished! Jesus fulfilled the debt so that believers can have authority over sin and the bondage of this dark world. We have been set free.

Sadly there are those who still walk in the chains of the enemies lies instead of the truth of an all-powerful Creator. They go stooped in doubt to the throne of grace and cry out in their painful trial when the answer is already with them! The reality is that though you may not physically see God or audibly hear his voice, his presence is always with you. He is with you right now. The best part is that he knows your heart and understands your fears. You just need to submit them to him.

In Mark 9, a man came to Jesus to heal his son who had an evil spirit that was trying to kill him. Jesus told the man, “Everything is possible for him who believes”.  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief”.

Your trust in God’s Sovereignty is the key to overcoming every impossible situation in your life. God is not limited by any boundaries that this world puts on him. Your problem is not too hard for the God who spoke the world into existence and who breathed into the dust to form man!

Jesus is all that you need in this fallen world and he is willing to take you past your fears and unbelief. The only questions that remains now is will you take him at his word?

Dear Lord Jesus, I lift up all those who are reading this message filled with pain and a heavy heart. I pray that you will open their eyes to the truth that you are able to take them through the trial they are experiencing now. Help them to trust you with their financial problems, failing marriages, serious health issues or any situation that is keeping them in bondage. Please give them your peace and comfort them as they learn that you will never fail. Amen

IS IT WELL WITH YOUR SOUL?

It doesn’t matter who you are for the rain falls on the unrighteous as well as the righteous. This world is perishing and Jesus will soon come to gather his people unto him. The difficulties we face as we await his glorious return are achieving an eternal purpose as daily we are being transformed into the image of Christ.

We know that we will suffer and endure hardship while on this earth, yet each painful trial brings with it an opportunity to trust God for what he has promised. That is not always easy but it is something that Christ empowers us to do as we grow in our understanding and belief. It takes a willing vessel, emptied of self, to maintain hope in the face of disaster and say, “I know my Redeemer lives!”{Job 19:25}

The testing of our faith is the tool that God uses to strengthen us for the battle. Each time we pass through the valley of our difficulties, defying the enemy as we stand unwavering in trust, we are giving an awesome testament to the power of God. The gates of hell are shaken every time a believer can praise God in the midst of heartbreaking pain and loss. Such was the faith of Horatio Spafford, an attorney in Chicago in the eighteenth century.

In November of 1873, Horatio decided to send his wife and four daughters ahead of him to Europe where he would later join them. He settled them in a cabin aboard the French liner, the Ville Du Havre, and then kissed them and said good-bye.

The grand ship glided upon the water for a while but then it tragically collided with another vessel. As water began filling the ship, passengers were being swept away into the torrents of an icy ocean. Loved ones were torn from each other as they sunk beneath the darkness of the water. The fatalities included the four daughters of Horatio. Mrs.Spafford was later found unconscious and clinging to a piece of the ship’s wreckage. After she was rescued and taken to dry ground, she cabled her husband with the sad news, “Saved Alone”. In a very short time, all of Horatio’s children were taken from him in death! A few years earlier, his only son had succumbed to scarlet fever at the age four. How could he still trust God in the face of such grief and loss? How could anyone?

But God has the power to transcend our understanding and to fill us with his peace even in hopeless tragedies. Horatio quickly booked passage on a ship to be with his wife. While onboard during a bitter cold December night, the captain called to Horatio while pointing out the spot where the Ville du Havre sunk. As he peered into the watery grave where his daughters perished, Horatio was filled with immense grief. With tears, he went back to his cabin and said to himself these faith filled words, “It is well; the will of God be done.” Such incredible trust! He later wrote the famous hymn entitled, It is well with my soul.

My friends, you need to know that Horatio did not have an extraordinary life, but he had an extraordinary faith! He lived his life in such a way that acknowledged his belief that God was in complete control of all that happens. He trusted even through this tragedy that the perfect will of God could not be stopped. He surrendered the pain of his breaking heart as a sacrifice to give honor and glory to God. He absolutely refused to believe that God had failed him.

Is there a struggle in your life that is making it difficult to stand in your faith? Trust is a process that the Holy Spirit takes you through one step at a time. He always knows your weakness and he knows the path to bring you to peace. If you can surrender your pain to God for his glory, he will fill you with joy and peace as he works all things out for your good.

God will never fail you and the tragedies of life can never destroy you. Because of Jesus Christ, all can be well with your soul!

LOVE WARNS!

Love enough to speak the truth!

My dear friends in Christ,

I want to share with you an important message that I feel compelled to put on this site. There is an increase in evil now and many are being deceived as they search for churches that tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. The enemy has stepped up his forces as he tries to darken the light of the church with trials and troubles to make the saints ineffective in reaching the lost.

We are in the closing days on this earth and Christ is getting ready to receive her bride. But there are people everywhere that do not understand the significance of the time and events that are unfolding. We need to get ourselves ready to meet our Savior. His kingdom is upon us and the message of truth must be reached to the ends of the earth. As time grows short, the darkness will increase in an attempt to take down the church. For that reason, there is an URGENCY TO RISE and take our stand. We were placed by God right here and now for such a time as this!

I implore you to view this link and take to heart the important message that it gives. If you have unsaved family and friends, you need to pray as you bring them the message of salvation though a relationship with Jesus Christ. You must love them enough to risk offending them. Their eternity depends on it!

God is with you as you seek him from your heart. Jesus paid the ultimate price to give all to you. Are you willing to give all to him?

Please view this message with your heart because now is the time to stand!

(click on highlighted words to see video and powerful messages)

IS YOUR NAME KNOWN IN HELL?

                                 How effective are you for the kingdom of God?

 

 

In order to be a follower of Jesus Christ, you must choose to walk as he did and make choices that may make you unpopular with this world that is perishing.  Jesus said that he would set up his kingdom and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  He spoke of how we must pick up our cross daily and seek his kingdom until he comes. It is not enough to simply say we believe in Jesus. Our lives should bear witness to the change that was made in us as we accepted the gospel of Christ. We must walk as disciples in our faith as the Holy Spirit works in us to repent and turn from our old ways.  There is no such thing as an “almost” believer. 

 

In chapter 19 of the book of Acts, we read about the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who went around driving out evil spirits.  They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” One day, the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (emphasis mine) Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped and overpowered them all.  He beat them so badly that they ran from the house naked and bleeding.  They lost out to a demon and there is an important message for us here.  

 

Only God can be omnipresent, or everywhere at all times.  Not even Satan or his demons can be all places at all times.  When the sons of Sceva tried to drive out an evil spirit, the demon said he KNEW Jesus, he KNEW ABOUT Paul, but he had no idea who these seven guys were.  Why was that?  Obviously, these guys were not a threat to Satan or his demons.  Sceva’s sons had heard about Jesus through Paul, but they never made Jesus their LORD.  These men did not have the power of Christ to battle the spiritual forces of evil and they were badly injured from trying to do it on their own. They were an easy mark for the unclean spirit who came against them.

 

You can apply this same truth to your life.  Is your name known in hell?  Are there demons who have heard about you and the work you are doing for Christ?  Have you become a thorn in the side of Satan as you try to reach the lost with God’s love?  Or have you settled into complacency in your Christian walk which makes you comfortable in this world?   If the enemy of your soul does not consider your faith a threat, perhaps you need to examine yourself to know if you are truly saved!  

 

I understand that all believers are a work in progress by the Holy Spirit and we each are at different levels in our walk. Even long-time followers in the faith can suffer a period of backsliding.  But those who belong to Christ should experience true heart change as his love compels you to seek what is right.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 that you will recognize a tree by its fruit. Those who belong to Jesus have crucified the sinful nature and now live by the power of the Spirit.  You became a new creation as God’s light shines through you.

 

If you live for Christ, you will experience grief in all kinds of trials as your faith is proved genuine.  Jesus said that all men will hate you because of him as darkness hates the light.  The spiritual forces of evil will come against you for the work that you do for the kingdom.  But in the end, the indescribable reward that God has for you will far outweigh any suffering you endure now. It is a reward that will last into eternity. 

 

If your name is written in heaven, it should be known in hell!

 

 

THE UNSURPASSING LOVE OF GOD

                                                             A message of hope in a dark world

 

The world is spinning out of control and each of us has turned to his own way as we continue to rebel against our Creator.  Yet despite our iniquities, God’s love still surrounds us as he desires all to be saved.  His love is so far reaching that while we were his enemy, he sent his only Son to die to pay our debt to him.  Why would Jesus want to suffer on the cross for people when he knew that most would reject him?  This is a love that defies definition.  The depths of our minds cannot contain the understanding required to comprehend the love that God has for us.

 

We are told that this world and even the highest heavens cannot contain God, yet man is always attempting to define him within the limitations of our own finite understanding.  If we truly realized the magnitude of the knowledge of God and how great is his love for us, we would constantly be on our face before him. His holiness would bring us to our knees in utter contempt for our sin.  Sadly, the fact is that we have allowed the darkness of this perishing world to occlude the revelation of the truth. 

 

But Jesus, the Son of God,  gave up the splendor of heaven to come to earth to suffer and die so that we might have eternal life.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life who gives us freedom from the bondage of sin and death.  His sacrifice was made as a free gift to all so that none who call upon his name shall perish.  The love of Christ invites us to be joint heirs with him in heaven for all eternity.  He is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto the path of all who are seeking him.  He has a way out of every storm in our life and his purpose and plan for us cannot be hindered. 

 

For this reason, our momentary problems are far reaching in working out a reward that will last forever.  The furnace of our affliction is burning off the corrupt carnal nature which keeps us from being with God.  After we emerge from the crucible knowing that our God was with us the whole time, we can joyfully proclaim with the Apostle Paul in saying, “ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me”. (Galatians 2:20)  As we stand by faith in the battles of this earth,  we know that Jesus has already made us winners.  We can never be taken from him for the Good Shepherd knows how to keep those who are his. 

 

We are never without hope, for the peace that comes from trusting in Jesus will never fail.  Those who are facing divorce or separation can know that he can restore your family.  To those suffering with serious medical issues, the Great Physician has your life in his hands.  He knows how to heal you and bring you to wholeness.  He can give peace to the hearts of those who have lost loved ones. Our God owns the sheep on a thousand hills so your financial problems are not too hard for him. He knows how to rescue godly men from trials and he will give you rest as you struggle to make ends meet. He can and he will mend the pieces of your broken heart if you are willing to put your trust in him.

 

In all of life’s difficulties, faith is the key to allowing God to work through your problems.  He can make a way through impossible situations and there is no tough circumstance that can hold back the promises of a loving God.  The one thing you must remember as you endure hardship is that you can NEVER be defeated.  Your victory has been paid in full by the blood of Jesus.  The enemy of your soul knows this and will use lies from the pit of hell to convince you that your situation is hopeless.  But God is faithful and will help you to understand that he alone is sufficient for all that you need.  His love never fails!

 

May God give you the understanding to believe the truth of this message that he has given just for you!

JESUS BRINGS PEACE FOR ALL SEASONS

This is the season of joy and peace yet sadly there are many people who are feeling hopeless, weary and lonely.  During a time when hearts should overflow with love and giving, for some it is just a time of pain and sadness.

 

The joy that the birth of Christ brings can get lost among the shopping and busyness of the season.  When God sent his one and only Son to this earth, he did it to bring light and salvation to a lost and dying world.  He sent Jesus to walk this earth with us to give us his strength to overcome our problems.  Jesus came to give us an abundant life that lacks no good thing.  His birth brought us a promise that can never be taken away.  It is a promise that those who believe in him would have a life with a purpose and a reward that will never end.  Pain and struggles can never destroy those who have been set free through Christ.  He alone can open doors to your impossible situations and cause all things to be used for your good. 

 

Believers now have authority in Christ over all obstacles from the enemy.  Through Jesus you are now more than a conqueror because he has overcome the world.  You only need to trust that he can and will be with you in all of your problems.  Your failures do not stop his love and your troubles can not stop his perfect plan for your life.  His birth signified a pledge to bring you peace no matter what you may be going through.  Jesus is the Word of God and the light of this world who will never fail you.  He willingly left the splendor of heaven to come to this earth knowing that we would reject him.  Yet his love was so great that he chose to walk with us and be crucified to bring us peace with God and eternity with him forever.

 

If the joy of this season is overcome by a situation in your life which is causing you pain and sadness, please remember that the hope that Jesus brings is not just for some situations.  The peace he promised to leave us is sufficient to meet any need and to take you through any storm in your life.  His power is strong enough to safely take you through all circumstances and to give you joy in the midst of your struggle.  He knew your name and loved you long before you were born.  He has plans to prosper you and give you a future despite your weaknesses.  He is faithful to make a way for you even when the road is closed.  Most importantly, he will never leave you to carry your burden alone.  In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age”. 

 

Your situation is never hopeless when you have Christ in your heart.   He is able to heal any sorrow your have and give you the assurance that his love will comfort you in your pain.  This season, keep in your heart the truth that Jesus is the only gift that you need. He is the source of your strength and the power to restore you in all ways.  His gift of life is free for the asking.  His love will never fail you and his peace will keep you as you begin a new year.   Take heart for the Savior is born!

THE PROMISE OF HOPE

The promises of God are real and his faithfulness will never fail us.  We have nothing to fear as believers because the power of God is always with us.  Yet those words may ring hollow when you are in a crisis situation.  You may be dealing with a serious illness for which there is no cure. You may be struggling with financial difficulties and don’t know where to turn. You may be suffering the pain of a broken marriage or relationship and have lost all hope for the future.  Whatever the struggle, it can be hard to stand in your faith when your circumstance seems hopeless.

 

We read in Proverbs 24:10, “If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!”.  The truth is that those who believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ have limitless power to defeat anything that comes against them.  In 1 John 5:4, we are told that everyone born of God overcomes the world.  The forces of evil cannot conquer a child of God. The devil himself knows that he is unable to harm a hair on your head but only what God permits.  And God will only allow that struggle or pain for which he has prepared in advance to bring you through to victory. Each trial we endure is permitted to help us to develop the perseverance that we need to stay strong in this life so that our faith may be proved genuine.  Christ did not suffer and die to lose the battle.  His death paid the price for our victory and it cannot be taken from us.  It does not matter what trouble you may be experiencing, God is willing and able to bring you through it. He alone can turn a painful situation into something that will be used for good with a reward that will last forever.  God’s promise in Isaiah 61:3 is to give you beauty for ashes and gladness instead of mourning. 

 

Those who have Jesus as their Savior have a living hope.  It does not matter how weary you may feel for it is Christ who will fight your battle and he knows how to rescue the godly from trials.  He has made us more than conquerors which means we cannot fail despite our weaknesses.  The Apostle Paul understood that all he had to suffer was permitted for a purpose.  He believed that God’s grace was able to meet all of his needs despite the pain he had to endure.  For that reason, Paul was able to be content in any and every situation, good or bad.  He said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”.  That is the kind of faith that honors God and defeats the enemy.

 

You can have the peace that surpasses understanding if you will keep your eyes on Christ instead of your problems.  There is nothing that is impossible for him.  He cannot fail you because it was by his great love that he created you.  He overcame death and left us a promise that he would always be with us.  Jesus will make a way through the mountain of your problems because his perfect plan for your life cannot be stopped.  Remember, the love of Christ will always defeat your enemies and keep you in his perfect peace. 

 

It is my prayer that you understand that it doesn’t matter where you are or what you are going through for Jesus will be there to help you.  You are never alone. 

WHOSE VOICE DO YOU LISTEN TO?

In the course of our day, we go through a series of choices.  What time to get up, where to go and what to eat are just some of them.  But the most important choice we make each day is whose voice will we listen to?

 

In the bible, God says in Deuteronomy 30:19  “ I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life”.  That is a decision you alone must make. The enemy comes around like a roaring lion seeking to destroy you.  If you allow Satan to have a foothold in your life, you are allowing the thief entry to steal your joy.

 

Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly”.  Jesus never promised that we would not have problems. He promised that despite our struggles, he would still be able to give us peace and joy in the midst of them and to those who endure, blessings for having gone through them.  There is not a circumstance in your life that Christ cannot turn and use for your good.  It doesn’t matter what pain, addiction, illness, financial problem or relationship heartache that you are going through, the power of Christ can and will take you through it. 

The enemy wants you to believe that your situation is hopeless and there is nothing that can help you.  The truth that sets you free is the knowledge that God has a perfect plan for you life.  Those who have put their faith in the shed blood of Jesus need to know that the enemy has no power over your life.  The trials you face are only the winds that God allows as you sail toward the reward he has for you in eternity. 

 What Satan sends to harm you cannot crush you.  A child of God can never be defeated!  Satan already knows this so his job is to try and convince you that you that your battle cannot be won and that no one cares.  That is a lie from the father of lies.  Remember that it was God who sent his only Son to save us so that none should perish.  It was God who loved us before we first loved him and who works all things out for our good. And it is God, through his Son Jesus, who will never leave us alone but has promised believers an inheritance in eternity.  The only promise the enemy can fulfill is one of pain and despair.  He has no other power. 

 

Each day begins as a gift from God.  You have a choice to walk in the light of truth which comes from the word of God.  It is a life full of promise and joy in the midst of your problems and a hope that God will fulfill his purpose for you.  Finally, it is the strength to turn from the voice of the enemy who seeks to destroy you and to live the life that Christ has already won for you.   The victory is yours. Choose life!

TRUSTING GOD

                                                    Trusting God in trials.

 

Going through a painful trial or heartache can bring you down lower than you have ever been.  It can seem unbearable and crushing especially when you don’t understand why God would allow this struggle in your life. How can the torment that you are experiencing be part of God’s perfect plan for you? It just doesn’t make sense.

 

The things that come against us in this world will never make sense to us.  However, that does not mean that there is not a purpose for all that happens. In Luke 22:43-44 we read that Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray before he was to be crucified.  With great anguish over what he was to suffer, his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.  Yet as he obeyed his Father’s will, an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.  Jesus understood that there were eternal implications in all that he had to endure. He willingly gave his life that we might be saved. 

 

As a believer, you should understand that God will also send his angels to strengthen and comfort you as you grow weary from the battles of this world.  He will never let you stand alone and carry burdens that are much too heavy for you.  The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from their trials. His purpose in allowing pain in your life is to develop you into the image of Christ and to actually make you stronger for the journey set for you. In 2 Corinthians, God’s word says that you may be hard pressed on all sides but never crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but never abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. The storms of this life can rock your boat but Jesus has promised that you will get to the destination that he planned for you before you were born.  When you can trust God despite your broken heart, you defeat the father of lies who wants you to forget that Jesus paid the price for your victory.  All the troubles that we must face are obtaining for us an eternal reward that will last forever. You must keep your eyes on Jesus who is able to keep you in his peace even when you don’t understand the purpose for your pain. 

 

Scripture says that after losing his children, his wealth and his health, Job cried out, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:13). God had a purpose in allowing Job to go through such a trial.  Ultimately, Satan was defeated and Job received a great reward.  He was given beautiful children, greater wealth and a longer life because he trusted God when even when all was taken.

 

God’s purpose and plan will forever stand though the earth may be shaken.  God’s ways are much higher than the logic of this world so you must trust him even when you don’t understand.  There is nothing you are suffering that God didn’t plan in advance to take you through. May it help you to know that there are believers praying for you right now and that God’s love for you will never fail!

 

 

 

A PROMISE YOU CAN TRUST

                                               The Promises of Christ

 

All things in this earth will pass away and only the kingdom of God will endure forever.  Each day of your life you have to decide if you will serve the temporary pleasures of this fallen world or store up riches in the never ending kingdom of heaven that is to come.

 

Those who endure until the end will receive the unspeakable reward which Christ has prepared for those who love him.  We are given only a glimpse in Scripture of what it will be like to be in the presence of God in heaven forever because our finite minds could not possibly comprehend the magnificent beauty that awaits believers.

 

For now on this earth, we must face the battles that each day holds as we continue to trust in the unfailing strength of our God who provides all that we need.  We serve a God who alone has the power to turn a curse in our life into a blessing (Deuteronomy 23:5).  No stronghold has power over your life as a believer but what you give it. You only grow weary in the battle when you empower your situation instead of magnifying your God who has the power to crush all of your enemies. You can believe the lie that says your situation is hopeless, or you can walk in the truth that says by faith you can literally move mountains.

 

No struggle or trial is beyond the strength of the Creator who spoke all things into existence.  He who breathed life into your body can assuredly breathe new life into your broken dreams and restore what the enemy took from you. Your situation can never separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Have no fear when it seems like the ground all around you is crumbling.  You are not standing on the sinking sand of this earth but on the promises of Christ who will hold you and keep you standing while those around you are perishing. 

 

Every believer is given a future with promise and a plan to succeed in all that God has called you to do.  You cannot be robbed of your inheritance as a child of the King of Kings.  Jesus came to this earth to die for us so that we might have eternal life with him in heaven.  Your weaknesses and failures cannot stop the promise of God who reconciled us to himself in Christ not counting men’s sins against them   Through Christ, we have become the righteousness of God.  God’s word tells us in 1 Cor. 6: 11, ”But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”.  We were made clean and right standing not by anything that we could do, but only by what Jesus did for us on the cross.  He paid the price that gave us victory over death and set us free from the bondages of this world. We only need to believe that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

 

If you are unsure of your future and want assurance of eternity with God in heaven, now is the time to call upon the name of Jesus and ask him to reveal himself to you in a personal way.  He is only a prayer away and his great love for you will do the rest. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU CAN’T BE DEFEATED

 

                               Christ is with you in your pain

  

We are told in John 10:10 that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but that Jesus came to give us life that is abundant and overflowing.  That means that believers do not have to live an unfulfilled, mundane life.  Those who put their trust in Jesus are now a new creation with the ability to live in complete victory despite the circumstances that they face.  The shadow of death will bring no fear to those who know that their debt was paid for on the cross at Calvary. 

 

The hand of God will supply you with the strength and power that you need to stand against the forces of evil that try to destroy your family, your health and your finances. You cannot be defeated because God has a perfect plan for your life to give you a future with hope.  The destructive lies of the enemy cannot harm you because the force of God is mightier than any weapon that is formed against you.  In Isaiah 40 we are told that God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Those who trust in the enduring love of the Savior, Jesus Christ, will never be disappointed.   

 

Jesus tells us in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”.  Jesus came to bring light to a dark world.  He came to bring life to a world that was perishing.  He came to show us the way to eternal life.  Jesus is all these things. He is the way, the truth and the life.  He is the only way to the Father.  He has given us life by his death and resurrection.  And by his power, we are now set free from the bondages of sin and destruction. 

 

 There is not a force in the heavens or earth that is more powerful than the power of Christ who dwells in a believer.   There is now no sin, no pain and no addiction that can hold you in chains when the truth has set you free.  The knowledge that God is your protector and your vindicator should fill you with the peace that Jesus won at the cross.  His sacrifice not only bought us eternal life but also the right to reign with him in heaven.  That is a promise that is worth the momentary trials and pain of this world.  You should live your life with the knowledge that the love of God will see you through the battles of this world and bring you safely to the glory that awaits you in heaven.   

 

If you are feeling weary and troubled at this moment, please understand that you may be trying to carry your own burdens.  Scripture says to cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you (Psalm 55:22).  In order to do that, you must trust that Jesus has the power to lift the pain that you have and to give you the peace that he will work all things out for your good. 

 

It is my prayer that all who read this will be set free by a revelation of the truth of God’s enduring love. 

 

 Dear Lord, I pray for those who are weary from the battle, who feel defeated and overwhelmed.  I pray that you will lift them by your power and give them the strength to continue on knowing that you will fight the battles that come against them.  I pray that they will feel your peace as you help to stand in faith and trust that you are all that they need.

HOPE FOR THE BROKENHEARTED

 

                        

 

What burden are you trying to carry that is making you feel hopeless and alone?   Is there a seemingly impossible situation in your life which has caused you to lose all faith and just give up?  Whatever the circumstance, if your heart is breaking and you don’t know where to turn, take heart for God has a word for you today.

 

In Psalm 34, God’s word says that he is close to the brokenhearted.  We are told in Psalm 58 that God has collected all of our tears in a bottle and recorded every one in his book. He cares about every aspect of our life and for this reason we can be comforted in any situation and know that God has a way for us to rise above every storm that we face.  His power has no limit and there is absolutely nothing that he will not do to help those who call upon his name in time of need. 

 

The enemy roams this earth and tries to blind us to the hope that Christ’s death and resurrection bought for us.  That hope is a promise from God that he will fulfill his purpose in our lives no matter what struggles we face.  Believers have the assurance that Jesus can restore shattered dreams and renew a future with victory and joy.  He is sufficient for all of your needs and he will never fail you. The devil knows well that a child of God can never be destroyed.

 

The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength”.  Paul realized that it did not matter what he had to go through because he knew that the strength to endure and conquer all of his problems came from Christ.  That truth is also for us today. If you have put your trust in the finished work of Jesus, you now have his strength living in you.  You will never be alone and nothing you can do will ever defeat his perfect plan for your life despite the painful situation you may be in.

 

Jesus died to set you free and to give you a new life.  Before he formed the earth, he knew your name and had a purpose and a plan to bring you to him.  His love for you will never end no matter what you have done and all that you go through touches his heart first.  Although you may not understand why God allows pain in your life, you must remember that he has the power to cause all things to be used for your good no matter how hard it is at the time to endure.  Then you can grow in the understanding that the testing of your faith develops perseverance so that you will not lack any good thing.

 

Those who endure with Jesus to the end will reign with him in eternity.  We are not going to have all of the answers on this earth, however, we can live as conquerors and defeat the enemy if we stand firm and trust that God is bigger than any of our problems.

 

The assurance of all of God’s promises is yours if you simply pray and ask Jesus to make himself real to you.  He is willing to come and live in your heart and be the power to overcome in your struggles.  He wants to heal your pain so that you can live in the peace that he died to give you.  Jesus says in Revelation 3;20 that he stands at the door and knocks and that if you open the door, he will come in and be with you.  Today is that day.  Call upon him now. Your eternity depends on it. 

 

THE GOD WHO CARES

 

He knows how to rescue you from the storm

 

 

The darkness of these current days can appear abysmal.  There are wars, earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes in the news.  We watch helplessly as people throughout the world and in our own country face uncertainty as they try to rebuild their disaster devastated lives.  So much is happening and some may wonder if God really cares.

 

The answer to this lies in God’s word.  In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says,” And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. God’s word says 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you”. There is nothing that is happening that God is not sovereign over.  If he is allowing it, there is a purpose.  Scripture tells us that though now you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, it is so that your faith may be proved genuine. The winds that blow through your life as a believer are never meant to weaken you but rather to strengthen you in your walk with God.  In the book of Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and ultimately unfairly imprisoned for many years. But God was with him.  Prisons then were dark, damp and filthy and the prisoners did not get much food. After all those years Joseph should have come out of prison emaciated and sickly. Instead, Joseph emerged from prison to be appointed second highest in command in Egypt. He had the energy and the sound mind to rule despite what he had endured.  God was perfectly able to keep Joseph’s mind and body strong during his time of trial and to use the evil done to him for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.

 

God is still with us during our struggles to lift us up above our circumstances and to use them for our good.   He tells us in Psalm 41:13, “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you”.  Those who have hope in the shed blood of Jesus have nothing to fear from this world.  Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them. Jesus gave his life for you so that you can have life to the fullest.  He cares about your hurts, your pain, your injustice, your addictions and anything that seeks to bring you down.  He left us his peace so that we can have joy no matter what trial we have because we know that Christ is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.

 

This world is not our home and Jesus has promised to go and prepare a place for us.  Nothing you have done can stand in the way of Christ’s forgiveness and mercy if you call on him.  For now, there will be problems and disasters on this earth, but we have the hope that God will one day wipe away every tear and bring us to eternal life with him. 

THE POWER OF FAITH

                                                       Power over your problems

 

Faith is the key to defeating all that comes against you.  In order for the hand of God to work miracles in your life, you must believe that he is able.  Your trials have no power over you except for what you allow.  For that reason, you must never let the fear of any painful situation in your life become bigger than your God. 

 

The bible tells us that Jesus came to set the captives free.  We who were once in bondage to the evil of this world now have the power over darkness.   The death and resurrection of Christ gave us the victory over anything that seeks to destroy us.  He paid the price for us to live life abundantly despite what we have to endure.  He became our strength to conquer all of our enemies.  He has put death and destruction under his feet.  Those who have a relationship with Jesus have nothing to fear from this world.  He alone is the hope for all that you need and he will not fail you. 

 

In Matthew 15, we read about how the Apostles were in a boat on the water that was being tossed around by the wind and the waves.  During the night, Jesus came to them walking on the water and they became afraid.  Peter asked Jesus to let him come to him on the water and Jesus said, “Come”.  Peter began to walk on the water but when he saw the strong wind and the high waves he was afraid and began to sink.  He cried out to Jesus who lifted him from the water and said, “Why did you doubt?”.

 

 The truth of this matter is that it was not the wind or the waves that brought Peter down, it was his fear!  Instead of keeping his eyes on his Creator who could save him from all things, Peter instead empowered the wind and the waves.  He feared that he would perish even though the Master of the universe was right there with him.  Jesus is over all that is in this world and even the wind must obey him. With just a word, Jesus was able to quiet the storm. 

 

Even now, there is never a situation that Jesus can’t take you through if your trust is in him. With just his word, he can give you peace in the trial that you are enduring. The power of the blood of Christ is able to meet you wherever you are.  It is not based on your good works but on his mercy. It does not matter what you have done or how far you have strayed, his love is able to reach out lift you from the waters of trouble and bring you to safety.  Jesus is always willing to forgive and give you a future that has promise.  For a believer, the strength to live in victory is always with you because Christ lives in you.  He alone can defeat your serious health issues, family problems, financial difficulties or any addictions and pain you may have.  Jesus alone has the power to heal your broken marriage and restore your family. That is your heritage as a child of the living God! Nothing is impossible for him who spoke this world into existence.

 

If you are feeling weary from the battle you are in, lift your eyes to Jesus who is the source of all strength.  He will not leave you alone and his plan for you will never fail. The enemy has been defeated by the cross and his power has been destroyed. 

 

Trust this day that God is able to keep you on top of the water despite what trouble comes against you. It is my hope that you understand that no matter what you are going through, God has people praying for you right now.  You are never alone and your situation is never impossible for the true God whose love will never fail you.. 

 

 

JESUS, AN EVER-PRESENT HELP

                                                 KEEPING HOPE ALIVE

 

 

Keeping your hope alive in the midst of your struggles and fears can be difficult.  Although Christ has promised us that he would never leave us but would always take us through our problems, the strength to stay in faith when the storms of life come upon us can seem impossible.

 

The truth is that Jesus did not die just to give you eternal life in heaven.  He died so that you might have an abundant, joy-filled life right here on earth.  He who knew your name before the foundation of the earth is able to heal your pain and ease the heartache that you may be going through.  There is nothing that comes upon you that that can destroy your life if you have put your trust in the risen Savior.  Jesus is not just waiting for us in heaven.  He is here with us now in all that we do.  His power and strength is the force sufficient enough to demolish any stronghold that seeks to defeat you. 

 

Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.   Those are life changing words!  He is speaking with all the power of God when he tells us that we do not have to fear any problem or impossible situation.  Jesus will not only take us through our problems, he will give us the peace that we need to stay trusting while we are in the battle.  The peace Jesus speaks of is the truth that sets you free.  It is the irrevocable promise of God that you can still have hope despite your trial because nothing can destroy his purpose and plan for you.  He is ready to shine a light to guide you on the path he has set for you.  Jesus is your friend, your counselor and an ever-present help in all things.  There is nothing too strong or too impossible for him to do for you because he alone is the source of all power. 

 

Throughout the scriptures, we read of how God would make a way in impossible situations to help his people.  There is nothing that can change the course of victory for those whom he has redeemed.   In Exodus, we learn that God did not lead the Israelites around the Red Sea but rather he brought them to the Red Sea that they might understand his power as he parted the waters for them to cross safely to the other side. 

 

The victories written in scripture are here for us today.  God is willing to part the deep waters of trouble and pain that is in your life and bring you through safely to the other side.  Impossible situations are no match for the power of the risen Christ who defeated darkness and death and bought for you eternal life.

 

Whatever painful situation you may be experiencing at this time, take heart and remember that Jesus is with you.  The hope that he gives you is not just a desire, it is a promise.  It is my prayer that God will help you to understand this truth.

   

 

 

 

TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD

There is a real joy that comes with completely trusting in the truth of God’s word.  The problems of this world are too much for us to bear and unless our hope is grounded in the unfailing love of God there is no real peace.  It doesn’t matter what your socio-economic standing is, trouble finds us all.  The rain falls on the poor as well as the rich.  Sickness, disease and death have no barriers.  The only foundation that stands firm is for those who put their trust in Christ.  We read in 2 Peter 9 that the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and Psalm 32:10 says, “… the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him”.   The only strength that we have in this world comes from God.   God’s word says in Proverbs 28 that he who trusts in himself is a fool.

 

So what do we do when we find ourselves in a painful trial or struggle?  My friends, we should do what we read God’s people did in Scripture when they faced trouble.  In 2 Chronicles, King Jehoshaphat heard that armies were coming against his people from two sides.  The Israelites did not have the power on their own to stand up to these armies so they turned to their only strength as they stood trusting before the Lord.  King Jehoshaphat cried out to God saying ,“We have no power to fact this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you”. The Israelites were saved that day and their enemies were destroyed.

 

The greatest honor you can give to God is to trust him when all seems lost.  It was God who sent his only Son, Jesus, to come into this world and die for us so that we may have eternal life.  Jesus suffered for us knowing that he would be rejected by many.  Is there any greater love then that?  He has also promised to never leave us alone.  Many people are trying to carry the burdens of this life by themselves.  That was never God’s plan.  He knew there would be troubles in this world but he also knew that he would help us through them.  Jesus says in Matthew 11:29, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”.  To those who call on his name, he will lift you up and give you his peace that surpasses understanding. 

 

God already has his people praying for those who are hurting and who feel alone.  If you can trust him, God will send someone into your life to help you through your hopeless situation.  The most wonderful thing about this is that God offers his love to all.  It is his will that none should perish.  Jesus says in John 10:10  “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. 

 Jesus cares about everything that touches us in our lives.  He wants to give us a life of joy that that the thief cannot steal, kill and destroy.  In Deuteronomy,30:19, God tells the people, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.”  The choice is yours. 

 

 Receive the gift of a full life that God has for you now as you ask Christ to reveal himself and come into your heart. It will not only change your life, it will change your eternity!

 

 

 

THE GOD WHO HEARS YOUR CRY

                                          Our prayers reach God!

 

The final words Christ spoke as He died on the cross were “It is finished”. As he gave up his spirit, the earth rumbled, darkness fell and Scripture tells us that at that moment the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom.

 

In biblical times, the temple had a thick curtain which separated the people from the Holy of Holies where God dwelled. Only the high priest could enter this area on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people.  When Jesus died on the cross, His blood covered our sins once and for all.  As the temple veil was torn, we were now given access to the very throne of God.  Christ who became our high priest was also our mediator between God and man.  We can present our requests directly to God and he will hear us. God looks upon believers as the righteousness of his Son Jesus.  We are now joint heirs with Christ in the kingdom of heaven and nothing good will be withheld from us. 

 

With this knowledge in mind, the prayers of believers are the most important tool a Christian has.  God only works through the prayers of his people.  Jesus taught us the meaning of prayer while he was on this earth.  All through the gospels we read where Jesus would go off alone to commune with the Father.  Jesus knew that his prayers were the power behind all that he did. Prayer led him to follow and do only what he saw the Father doing.

 

Prayer is seeking the mind of God.  It is a submission to have your ways line up with the ways of God.  It is trusting that God is going to see you through your difficulty and keep you safe.  As you pray you also open up your heart to hear from God.  In those moments when you have turned to him for guidance, his still quiet voice will lead you in the paths you are to take. 

 

There is not a trial or struggle that you go through that will not be lifted as you present it in prayer to God, Those who are trying to carry their own burdens should know that God never intended for anyone to go through trials alone.  He will always put someone in your path to help you with your pain if you trust it to him. Your circumstance cannot keep you from the plan that God has for your life.  The veil between heaven and earth has been torn open so it doesn’t matter what you have done in your life or what you have been though, the power of God can restore you and give you a new life.   It is by prayer that you can move mountains of trouble and break the chains of bondage that seek to destroy you. This access to the throne of heaven was paid for by Jesus at the cross so it is never a burden but a true gift to be able to meet with our Creator in prayer.  Satan himself knows well that heaven and earth can be moved by the prayer of one believer.

 

You need never fear about your situation because Christ himself goes before you to the Father to intercede for you. If you are going through a dark time in your life be assured that right now Christ has burdened someone’s heart to pray for you.  You are not alone and you never will be as long as there are believers who trust in the power of prayer.  

VICTORY OVER DISCOURAGEMENT

 

 

                                             STANDING STRONG IN FAITH

 

 

To remain strong during difficult times requires that we stand in faith.  There is nothing sadder than to see believers react defeated at a hill of trouble when Christ has given us the power to move mountains. The storms that blow through your life may be strong, but the Master of the wind is still Christ and he alone determines the outcome of your situation.  There is no doctor’s report, no financial problem, no heartache and absolutely no other trial that can hinder the perfect plan that God has for you life.  Jesus came to this earth to die for each of us so that we can live life to the fullest despite our problems.  The hardships of this world cannot defeat us but will always be used for our good if we keep our eyes on Jesus.  His power has no limit; therefore, your impossible situation cannot stand against Christ who is the Author and Finisher of our lives.

 

 In 2 Corinthian 4:16 we read, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  Those struggles that seem to weaken us can actually make us stronger as we trust in our Lord who has said that He would never leave us.  It was the love of Christ who willingly took our sins upon himself and bought for us an everlasting inheritance in heaven with him. 

 

When you can understand that the painful situations you must endure are only allowed to bring you closer to the image of Christ, you can have the peace that surpasses understanding.  Even though it may not make sense to you, God has an eternal reason for all that he allows to touch your life.  And God, who knew your afflictions before he even formed the earth, has prepared a way for you to be taken through them.

 

The enemy of our soul will always look for ways to discourage true believers.  Satan knows that he cannot stop God’s perfect plan for you so he must work to convince you that your problems are bigger than your God.  He wants you to forget that Jesus can still heal our diseases; that he can strengthen us against addictions; that he can restore broken homes and that he can overcome all of our weaknesses.  Jesus is the only one who can make us whole and give us a future with a promise. The devil cannot take from us what Jesus has died to give us.

 

 

The enemy wants to keep us blinded to the truth, but the light of God’s word will be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  Jesus is the light of this world and all those who turn to him can never be held in darkness and bondage by any stronghold. Your situation is never hopeless because we have a Savior who is the God of all hope.  There is nothing that he cannot and will not do for those who put their trust in him. 

 

Whatever troubling situation you may be going through right now, may you know that peace and victory can be yours if you will just call upon the name of Jesus!

 

 

 

 

PUT TRUST IN GOD’S STRENGTH

                         The still, quiet voice of God will lead you

 

 

Believing that God can take you safely through all of the storms of this life can be difficult. God’s timing doesn’t always line up with our way of doing things and it may seem that we are alone in our battles.  Life can be tough, but God’s word says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Our prayers in difficult times unleash the limitless power of God, who is the only one who can make things right and restore us to wholeness.  Believers have access to the Throne of God to present their request and the God who hears you will answer you and give you his peace. He knows how to rescue his people from trials.   

 

The still, quiet voice of the Lord is a strength that can be trusted.  In 1 Kings 19:11, the prophet Elijah was told to go out and stand on the mountain, for the glory of the Lord was about to pass by.  After Elijah reached the height of the mountain, a powerful wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks; and after the wind there was an earthquake and then a fire, but the Lord was not in any of these things.  The Lord actually came to Elijah in a gentle whisper.  This is true for us today.

 

There may be times that you feel drawn by God to a position in life only to have your dreams appear to crumble. You felt sure that God was leading you in a certain area but now that situation has become difficult and you begin to doubt if you heard from God at all.  The truth in this matter is that if you want to avoid the valleys in life and just experience the mountaintop, you had better be ready for the high winds and earthquakes of life that can attempt to take you down.  There are many struggles we face in our lives, but if we can trust the still, quiet voice of God who never leaves us, there is nothing that will be able to defeat us or take us from the place that God has brought us.  Christ is the fulfillment of all that we hope for and there is always hope because he directs our steps.  Any dream or desire that he has placed in your heart, he will make a way! One thing we must remember is that God never changes.  It was God who parted the Red Sea to help save the Israelites and he has the same power to part the river of your tears that seeks to pull you under.  You may feel that you are drowning in your own tears but God has the power to give you the victory no matter what you are going through.

 

Whatever you face in this life, you will never be alone and God has promised you glory if you run the race he has set for you.  It is not always easy, but the prize of being in eternity with Christ is worth it!  You must always remember that there is no power that can defeat the Sovereign God who is over all things. 

 

Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil”.  Be wise and take the opportunity to read your bible each day and give to God more time in prayer.  Put your trust in Christ who has already paid the ultimate price for you.

 

The battle in life is not to be feared for God has already made you more than a conqueror through his son, Jesus.  You now have his power, his strength and most importantly, his love that will keep you from ever being destroyed.  This is the truth that Jesus died to give you.  Take heart, for he is with you today!

GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES

                                                     THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD

 

It does not matter where you are in your life; it only matters where God is going to take you. His light is our solace in a lost and perishing world.  The word of God promises us that we will have peace despite our situation and that he has a plan to give us a future with hope.  Jesus has paid the price for our victory in every circumstance.  There is never a battle that can defeat you.  It is only when you understand that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ that you can believe that God’s strength and his perfect plan for you life are all that you need.   

 

Too often the storms of life can leave you weary making it a struggle to stand in faith.  The enemy who roams this earth seeking to kill, steal and destroy will use every effort to make you doubt that God cares about your difficult situation. Satan is the father of lies and he will try to use  your heartache and pain to rob you of your joy.  The truth is that he cannot steal the purpose and plan for which God sent his only Son to redeem for us. 

 

 

We read in 1 Peter 5:10 that, “The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”  The storms that this life brings will be turned around for your good and will bring you to the knowledge of how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.(Ephesians 3:18}  It is only after you have been in a painful battle and watched as your God defeated all of your problems that you can grow in unwavering trust.

 

Nothing can overcome you when your life is in Christ.  He is your power and the force to go on even despite the pain you may be experiencing.  God is never limited by the impossibility of your situation.  He who spoke the world into existence has a way out of every trial you endure.  In Scripture we read that it was God who shut the mouth of the lions and saved Daniel when he was thrown into their den for not bowing down to the king.  It was God who went with young David to defeat the giant. It is always the strength of God who meets us at the battle and takes down our enemies.  We have nothing to fear because the word of God promises us that we cannot be destroyed. 

 

 

 You may be facing a serious illness, an addiction, a broken marriage, or financial problems but you need to know that God is willing and able to take you through your struggle that you may be anxious for nothing.  We are told in Isaiah 26 that God will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in the one who can do all things.  

 

 

You can be hard-pressed but never crushed by your problems.  God knows your name and saw all of your days before one of them came to be. Jesus will guide your steps and be the light when the darkness of your situation is overwhelming. And he will never leave your side. 

 

There will always be battles that come against you in your life, but Jesus tells us to take joy for he has overcome them all!     

HAVING VICTORY THROUGH SURRENDER

                                                            

 

The hope of victory in all of the battles you face in this world starts with absolute surrender to Jesus Christ.   It is only when you are willing to trust him with your weaknesses that he can make you strong in his power.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong-the less I have, the more I depend on him”.  Paul understood that he could not endure on his own all the persecutions and hardships he suffered.  His strength came from knowing that Jesus was using the pain he suffered to overcome his weaknesses.  Paul was made stronger with every battle that Jesus took him through. He knew that even death had no power over him.  For that reason Paul was able to say in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is for Christ and to die is gain.”

 

It is only by the strength of Christ who lives in us that we can overcome all the forces of evil that try to defeat us everyday.  There is no stronghold in your life that can destroy you when you have put your faith in Jesus.  He is all that you need because he alone can do all things.  By his death and resurrection, Jesus has freed you from the chains of bondage to sin.  You now can have peace in the midst of a storm because you know that God’s purpose for your life cannot be stopped.  The enemy cannot steal your joy when you are in a painful trial because Jesus is always with you and he has promised you a reward that far outweighs all that you are going through.  Although we live in a lost world, we can stand firmly in the hope that Christ has made us joint heirs with him in a kingdom that will never be destroyed. 

 

The struggles of this world may make you weary but they are no match for the promises of God who has made us more than conquerors.  The enemy roams this earth trying to fill you with his lies of hopelessness and defeat.   But Jesus came to bring light and truth to a dark world so that we can live without fear knowing that he will bring us through all of our problems.  You need to know that you have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ and he will never fail you.  It does not matter what heartache or pain you are in, his love is able to heal and comfort you.  The peace that God brings can sustain you in even the darkest storm if you are willing to trust him. We read in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him”.  Jesus is the only force you need to stay strong in the battle because his blood on Calvary paid the price for your victory

 

The best thing about the love of Christ is that he is willing to meet you where you are. He wants to give you his power to overcome your weaknesses.  He wants to restore your life and give you a future. He wants to give you victory over all that comes against you. And most importantly, Jesus wants to give you eternal life with him in heaven. Your problems and failures can never stop God from restoring you to wholeness and giving you a future despite the hopelessness of your situation.. He will always make a way when there is none!

 

Salvation is found only in Jesus. There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)  It is my prayer that you will call upon his name today. His love will be sufficient to do the rest. 

 

 

 

STRENGTH TO BELIEVE

God’s love is with you at all times!

 

 

It is easier to trust God in the good times.  It takes much more faith to keep that trust during painful trials.  Tough times happen to everyone.  It is sometimes difficult to believe that God is willing to take you through the impossible situations in your life.  But faith is the most important thing that you must have in this age of crisis and turmoil  The peace of God that transcends all understanding is predicated on believing that God’s word is true.  Without faith it is impossible to please God because faith is the key to all the strength and power that God has to give us. It simply means that you believe that God is bigger than your problems.

 

Scripture records the miracles that Jesus performed while on this earth.  In Matthew 9:29, two blind men asked Jesus to heal them.  Jesus replied, “According to your faith will it be done to you”, and their sight was restored. A ruler came and asked Jesus to put his hand on his daughter that she might live.  Because of the ruler’s faith, Jesus brought his daughter back to life. The Apostles also worked by faith.  In Acts 14, Paul looked directly at a crippled man and saw that he had the faith to be healed. He called for the man to stand and he was healed. Many people were saved and their bodies healed as they took that first step to trust that Jesus was truly the Savior of the world. 

 

True faith always honors God. It is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. It is unbridled belief in the Son of God who gave his life for us.  There is nothing that God won’t do for those who put their trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  It was Jesus who called us to lay our burdens at his feet.  Perfect peace is given to all who are willing to trust him with everything.  Though it may be difficult to stay strong when your world is crumbling all around you, the name of Jesus will always be your shield.

 

 

 In Mark 9:24, a man with a son possessed by a spirit asked Jesus for his help.  When Jesus asked the man if he believed that he could heal his son, the man answered, “I do believe Lord; help me overcome my unbelief!”.  Jesus is so merciful to remember that we are weak.  He will never hold it against us if we ask for his help to believe him through our struggles. 

 

 

 Striving to work out impossible situations will never succeed. It is only the power of God that can rescue us from the storm.  You may have a serious health issue, financial problems, drug or alcohol addictions or even a broken heart but nothing is too hard for our God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them.  We are told by God in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. That is a promise that Jesus bought for us at Calvary. 

 

Whatever trial or pain you are in, remember that God’s love will never leave your side. Call on him right now to strengthen you to overcome your unbelief.  He will help you take that first step in trust so that you will know that God is big enough to conquer all of your problems.

 

GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR PAIN

Times are tough and the days are growing short.  It is difficult to stand in faith as the darkness fills the world.  Sometimes the pain we experience is just too much for us to bear.  Many may wonder if God is truly with them in all things. For instance, where is God when a loved one dies or when bad things happen to innocent people? This question and other similar ones have troubled believers everywhere.

 

The truth that remains is that God is with us in everything and anything that comes against us.  God’s plan was for us to live in paradise with him forever, but because of man’s sin, death and destruction came into our world. But the love of God never left us.

 

Sin is rebellion against God and it allowed Satan and his demons to roam this earth seeking to destroy us.  We were doomed. “But God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16)

His love for us was so great that he was willing to sacrifice the blood of his Son Jesus to bring us back to fellowship with him.

 

God’s love for us continues even though we are sinners who turned from the ways of God.  To the ends of the earth, God has sent his word to seek out the lost and offer the free gift of salvation through the cross of Jesus. And though this world is perishing, those whose hope is in Christ will never be destroyed.  Death that can take the body can never touch the soul of a believer.  Jesus said in John 5:24, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” That means that no sickness,financial problems, divorce, pain or even death can end God’s promise for us of victory and eternity with him. 

 

Life on this earth is fleeting.  Eternity with God is never-ending and it is there that you will understand that the storms in your life were only the winds that brought you closer to the reward that God has prepared for you.  You will know then that God never left your side despite what you had to suffer.  The strength to endure and not to fear was always with you and that his power was manifested in your weakness.

 

There will always be death and evil on this earth until Jesus comes back.  That is why as believers we must not conform to this world but be set apart.  We must live different lives and not react as those who have no hope.  The sickness or loss of someone close to us may tear at our heart, but our strength must come from the hope that God has given us.

 

Our life on this earth is not the end.  Innocent people will continue to suffer at the hands of evildoers and sickness will take loved ones from this earth, but God’s justice and purpose will always prevail.  We must trust that God will use for good all that comes against us.

 

The Apostle Paul suffered torture and pain in his life, but he knew that it was all going to be used for the glory of God.  For him, to die was gain but to live was for Christ.  He knew that God had an eternal purpose for everything that he had to endure.

 

When we don’t understand the reason God allows pain and suffering in our lives and those whom we love, we must have faith that God is always at work in us, and that those who endure to the end will receive the reward that far outweighs it all! The trials of this earth are temporary, but the reward of God is eternal.  For now, I pray that you understand that God will be with you in your pain and will take you through the valley of your tears.  He is always faithful!

 

Dear Lord,  the pain and burdens of this world can bring us to our knees.  Sometimes we falter in our faith as we struggle against the war that the enemy is waging against us.  I pray that those who may have experienced a loss of a loved one or who is being overwhelmed by a situation that seems hopeless.  Fill them with your peace and love.  May they know that no problem is bigger than the God that they serve. Help them to understand that your ways are higher and better than ours.  Give them the strength to persevere in the battle and to keep their eyes on you.  Your perfect plan for their life will never fail!

We give you praise. Amen.

WHEN GOD SEEMS SILENT

                           He sees your broken heart     

             

There is a peace in seeking the counsel of God in prayer for we know that he is all-powerful and there is nothing that he cannot do.  But, it is very difficult not to get anxious when we don’t get an immediate answer from God after pouring out our hearts to him.

 

Scripture tells us in Psalm 84:11 that no good thing does he withhold from those who are his.  For that reason, it is the true believer who can hold on to the promises of God even when the darkness surrounds him.  No circumstance in life can stop our God who has promised that all things will be used for our good.  It is a lie from the pit of hell when the enemy tries to convince you that God doesn’t care about your situation.

 

Jesus did not come to this earth to save us from all of life’s pain and struggles but to help us rise above our difficulties as we are being transformed into his likeness.  He will always meet us in our pain and help us to carry our burdens.  There will never be true happiness in this perishing world, so we need to keep or eyes on the things above. Jesus will always be our source of strength and his grace will provide all that we need. When his silence is deafening and your heart is breaking, you need to know that he has not left you.

 

It is during that time in our struggle when God seems silent that he is doing his best work in us.  He is stretching our faith and equipping us to stand against the enemy and the evil of this world.  He is working out his purpose which he has prepared in advance to bring us to victory.  He has a future for you that is greater than what you can imagine and he alone has the power to make it happen.

 

If we can remain strong even when we don’t feel the presence of God, then we are shown to be true sons and daughters.  Nothing makes the devil flee quicker than when we can praise God in the midst of our painful trials knowing that his love will never fail us. Just remember that despite a financial crisis, a marriage problem, a health issue, an addiction or a heartache, or anything that is giving you pain in your life, God will not let you be defeated and will move the mountains and part the waters that stand in the path that he has set for you.

 

All those that God has used for greatness have endured the silence of God.  In Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned for many years.  Yet Joseph held still unto the Lord during this period until the time of God’s plan in which he was made second in command of all of Egypt.  During that time, he was being transformed from just a shepherd boy to that of royalty. 

 

Moses endured 40 years in the wilderness.  Job suffered pain and heartache at the hands of Satan yet was restored as he trusted his God.  Daniel held on to God’s promise and survived the lion’s den. 

 

Jesus himself greatly suffered as he endured the Father’s silence on the cross. He was obedient unto death. Yet the silence of God only served to reveal the greatness of God! 

 

There is always power in God’s silence.  His word says that he will never leave us or fail us ever so we are never alone in our pain.  The stillness of God is his way of strengthening us for he has promised that nothing that comes against us will ever stop his purpose for our life.

 

God’s plan for us was so important that he sent his only Son to suffer and die for it.  Remember that the silence of God is always filled with his strength to take you through whatever comes against you. He will work out all of your problems and give you his peace in the midst of your pain.  You can never lose for you were bought at a price.  For now, all you need to do is just be still and know that HE IS GOD!

GOD’S POWER TO RESCUE YOU

                                    God will always make a way

 

Although we are living in troubling times, Jesus has promised believers that he would be with us and that his peace would be our comfort.  For this very reason, Christ suffered and died for us so that nothing would have power to defeat us.  Yet it is sad as many continue to live in the bondage of the enemy’s lies when Jesus gave us the truth that set us free.

 

The trials and struggles of this earth are getting more perilous as each day brings additional trouble.  But we serve a risen Savior who has said that he would be with us always, even to the end of the age.  He foreknew of these times and the pain that we would have but he has an unfailing way to take us through every single one of them.

 

 Unfortunately, it is hard to keep your eyes on God when you are facing a serious medical issue, a crumbling marriage, financial difficulty, an addiction or any overwhelming problem that just won’t go away.  But it is in the midst of these painful issues that you must keep your faith for they are working in you a greater glory that is going to strengthen you in this life and bring you a reward that will last through eternity.

 

In Daniel 3:16-18, we read of three Jewish boys who refused to bow down to a false god knowing that they would be put to death in a fiery furnace for their faith.  They replied to King Nebuchadnezzar that “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it….But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods”. That is faith tested to the extreme.  These young men were thrown into the furnace bound tightly.  But when the king looked into the furnace, he said “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods”.  When he approached the opening of the furnace and called for the young men to come out, amazingly, not only had the fire not harmed them, but they did not even smell of smoke.

 

The Jewish boys who were bound and thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter were brought safely through their ordeal. God could have kept them from going into the furnace but instead, he chose to take them through the fire!  His glory was revealed even greater as he showed that absolutely nothing, including fire, had any power over believers who trust in their God.  They were walking around in those flames, unbound, unharmed and in the presence of the Son of God who had never left them.

 

This is a very real truth for all of us today.  The fiery affliction that you may be going through has no power to destroy you!  The bondages that are hindering you and bringing you pain will be loosened and removed by the love of Christ who has a perfect plan for your life.  You will come forth from that impossible circumstance and be restored by the right hand of God who has promised you the victory.  If your faith is in Christ Jesus, there is no force that will ever be greater than his power to sustain you.

 

With his sacrifice on Calvary, Jesus defeated all of our enemies including death. Though you may grow weary in the problems of this world, he will renew your strength and give you a future. Stay in the peace knowing that  Jesus will always meet you in your pain and bring you to victory. That is a promise he died to give you! 

KEEPING YOUR EYES ON GOD

                                         Seeing the victory ahead

 

Standing strong when troubles overwhelm you is the key to trusting God. It is having eyes to see the victory ahead despite the darkness that surrounds you. The hope we have in all of our problems is found in Jesus Christ who paid the price for our peace. He has promised us that the afflictions of this world cannot destroy us because his power to save us will always be greater than any weapon used against us to bring us down. There is no reason to fear when Jesus has promised to light the way out of the darkness of every painful trial.  Through him, you have the power to demolish strongholds and bondages in your life.  By God’s own command, angels are dispatched from heaven to surround you and to help you when you fall.    

 

 In  2 Kings 6:16, we read of the prophet Elisha who was in danger from the King of Aram.  The king totally surrounded the city with horses and chariots in order to attack and kill Elisha.  When Elisha’s servant saw the great number of the enemy around them he was afraid.  Elisha told him not to fear because “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them”.  Then Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes to see and understand this.  When the servant looked again, he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire from heaven ready to defend them. Elisha was saved that day by his faith as God defeated his enemies.  As in the battles that we face today, God’s power will always be more than enough.

 

Those who give up when life gets hard have fallen into the enemy’s trap.  They have believed the deceiver who says that God is too far away to hear your cry, or that your situation is impossible even for God. As time goes by, he will even try to convince you that God will not show up in time to save you.  But through your pain, you must remember that these lies all come from an enemy who has been defeated at the cross of Christ.  He wants you to focus on your problem instead of your God.  You must decide in your struggle if you are going to believe what you see and what you feel or stand in your faith and believe the truth of what God says he can do.

 

Through it all, you must not lean on your own understanding but trust that God’s ways are higher and that he has a better way.  Even his timing has a specific purpose that will help you to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of his love for you. He knows your past and he can see your future.  Most importantly, he knows how to rescue you from your problems and pain and give you back the future that the he planned for you.

 

In the 23^rd Psalm, King David wrote in verse 4,”Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”  David learned to trust God even as he had to run from those who were trying to kill him.  Despite the danger he was in, David kept his eyes on God because he knew that God would never fail him. He understood that God had a power that would always be greater than that which came against him. 

 

God is always with you in any battle that you face in this life. Whatever burden you are carrying, it is my prayer that you will have peace in the knowledge that God is always in control.  

GOD HAS A WAY THROUGH YOUR PAIN

                                                                       He always has a way

 

 

No matter what storm you are going through in your life, God has a way through it and above it.  For believers, his strength will always be all that you need because he knew your name long before he formed the earth.  That is so hard to fathom because our mind cannot contain a truth this great.  The true God who knows all things loved you before you were born!

 

God planned every aspect of your life from where you would be born, to whom and when.  Even where you live was ordained in God’s masterful plan.  His desire was that all would come to him and be saved.  He knew that problems you would have and he understood your weaknesses.  He knows your sin and your rebellion, yet he still has a purpose and a plan to give you victory through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Romans 8:31 tells us that,”If God is for us, who can be against us?”   He justifies us from our sins and intercedes on our behalf so that we can truly be more than conquerors despite the hard times and heavy burdens we carry.

 

Each day is an opportunity to bring glory to God as you stand in faith trusting that he us with you in all things.  If we could understand a mere iota of the love of God for us our lives would be changed forever.  His love is not based on what we do for there is no way we could earn it.  It is based solely on who he is for God is love.  The only way that we can walk in the ways of love is to know Christ and to have him work through us. 

 

The troubles of this world cannot defeat us no matter how weary we become.  When Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished”, that was the promise shout of victory for those who believe on him.  The price was paid by the blood of Jesus and we are no longer in bondage to the evil of this world. My friends, we will have troubles but they are working in you a glory that will defy the enemy of your soul.  You cannot lose! The enemy can’t take what was redeemed by Christ for you.  He has a way to help you and he will not fail.

 

Though the evil one will try to convince you that you will drown in the tears of your affliction, you must not give in.  Remember the truth that set you free.  Jesus has overcome the problems of this world and he will never let you go through anything that he does not have a plan to take you safely through.  He knows your name and he knows where you are.  He is willing to bear your pain and carry your sorrows. He has the power to lift you from your heartache and sustain you when you have no strength of your own.

 

Lift up your eyes for all that you need is with you now. You can truly face tomorrow despite your pain because Jesus is with you.  Let his peace be your comfort because he is working all things out for you now.  You don’t have to feel it or see it.  You just have to know that his promises are real.

 

Dear Jesus,  I pray that  you open the eyes of all who need to hear from you and let them know that you are with them and that you are in total control of their situation. Surround them with your peace and help them to understand the depth of your love. Let them know that they have nothing to fear, for you are with them to the end!  Amen

FEAR NOT, FOR GOD IS WITH YOU

                     He will never leave you                                           

 

When you are in the struggles of life and your strength is weak, the testing of your faith seems even more difficult.  Though believers are in this world but not of it, there are times that we can still be brought to our knees by fiery darts of the enemy.  It is then, in those painful times, that we must strive to focus on Christ who is always with us.  Yet, when the storm darkens our world and waters come up to our neck, even the faithful can cry out in anguish, “My God, are you really with me?” 

 

The heaviness of despair can blind you from hope when your heart is breaking and your tears can’t stop.   Does our Savior Jesus, who told us that he has overcome the world, have a purpose in the pain of your situation?  When you can’t see him or hear him, does he hear you?

 

The reality of this matter is found in God’s word.  You won’t always feel God working through your trial to rescue you, but he is.  God tells us in Isaiah 43, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze”.  Those words give us a powerful truth.

 

God is telling us with all certainty that there is no disaster that can overtake those who put their faith in him.  This world cannot come up with a trial that can alter the course of the path Christ died to give you.  He will always be your way out and your way up from every painful struggle. There is no medical issues, marriage problems, addictions, financial struggles or any of life’s storms that God cannot keep from destroying you or the plan he has for your life.

 

In John 20, we read how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus after his death; but when she saw that his body was not there, she began to cry. She did not realize that Jesus was standing right behind her.  He said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”  Then he called her by name, “Mary”, and suddenly she rejoiced as she realized that it was Jesus.

 

Friends, I want you to understand the impact of these verses.  Jesus asked Mary why she was crying and who was she looking for.  He KNEW why she was crying and that she was looking for him even though he was there beside her all the time.  Even now in our heartaches as we search for Jesus through our tears, he knows our pain and he is standing right with us even if we don’t fully understand it. As he calls us by name,  he will never leave us alone in our struggle or trust anyone else to help us work it out. For only Jesus is a very present help in time of need.   He has the power to restore us to wholeness as we hand him the pieces of our broken heart. 

  

Whatever burden is causing you to stumble in your faith remember that Jesus is there with you.  His voice is softly saying, “Why are you crying?  Who are you looking for? I am with you and I will never leave you.  My love will cover all of your problems and with my right hand, I will lift you safely above them.”

 

Rest in the peace knowing that Jesus Christ paid the price for your victory in each and every situation you encounter.   I pray that God will help you to understand and trust this message that he provided just for you!

A SEASON OF HOPE EVEN ON DEATH ROW

                                           God can reach you and help you no matter where you are!

 

I am a contributing faith writer for our newspaper.  Last year, I received a note from a death row inmate who had read one of my articles.  He wrote that he was moved by my article as I spoke of the love of Jesus Christ for all.  He was not a Christian, but somehow this message reached his heart.  He said that he did not know why he was writing to me but that he just wanted me to know that he appreciated the message.  

 

After writing back to him for  while, I reluctantly decided to go visit with him.  He had no one to visit him and just a few letters were written to him over the 25 years he had been on death row.  I put aside my fears of going to see him and just prayed that God would be with me at that prison.  

 

God went ahead of me to the prison and softened Greg’s heart to hear the message of life.  After talking with him and answering his questions, Greg asked me to help him pray and ask Christ to come into his heart.  We prayed and I watched as a peace come over him. 

 

Over the next months, I was in awe of the work that God did in Greg’s heart.  This man turned from his old ways and started reading God’s word and applying it to his life.  As I saw the love of Christ transform this broken man into a servant of the kingdom, my own faith was increased as I understood even more of the mercy God.   Only the power of God can change someone’s heart and it was nothing short of amazing.  

 

Recently, Greg went to the cell of a man who was soon to be executed.  Greg brought his bible and his love for Christ with him.  He spoke to this lost soul on the truth of God’s forgiveness and mercy and prayed with this man.  It was no small feat when I learned  that this hardened, pagan inmate was reading the bible the day before he was executed.   

 

The truth of this whole matter is that you never know when or how God is going to use you to impact heaven and earth.  All you need to do is be willing to let his power flow through you to touch someone with his love.   If God can give hope to a man on death row, he can surely breathe life into your impossible situation.  You need to put your trust in him and believe that he can do what he says he can do. 

 

 

       Thanksgiving hope on death row                         by Greg Esparza as told to Marianne Lordi

 

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection and a time of giving thanks for all that we have been given.  This year, I will also be giving thanks to God for all of my blessings despite the fact that my time is limited. You see, I am a 45 year old inmate on death row at Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown.

 

My childhood was a painful time. I was raised in Toledo with my seven siblings.  When I was eight years old, we were taken from our home and placed with Children’s Services. Shortly after that, I found out that my mother had died.   I was moved from various orphanages and foster homes during the years but the pain and confusion over all I had been through was too much for me.  I rebelled and would often run away.  I was searching for acceptance and found it in the streets.  I learned how to protect myself and fight for whatever I got.  Though outwardly I looked tough, inwardly I felt insecure and unworthy.  It was a constant battle as I turned to various substances to take away the pain that never left me.

 

 I continued to make bad choices in my life which resulted in me being in prison for most of my life. Because of all the things I suffered while growing up, I never believed that there was a God who cared about my pain and what was happening to me.  I felt totally lost and alone.

 

One day I happened to read a faith article that was printed in the Vindicator.  For some reason that I cannot explain, I was touched by the message.  The article gave me hope that Jesus was my friend and wanted to help me. I wanted to believe that message but I didn’t know how. 

 

Over the next few weeks, I wrote to the writer of the article and she came to visit me.  She explained how Jesus came to save those who were lost.  She told me that he did not care about my past but that he loved me and wanted to give me a future even on death row.  I learned that all I had to do was ask Jesus to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior and that he would do all the rest.  Even a sinner like me could be made righteous by a relationship with Jesus Christ.  That day, she helped me say the prayer that gave me life on death row.

 

The truth is that I have been made new because of my relationship with Jesus.  All that touches my life is now in his hands.  I have been set free by the truth that the Son of God died so that I might have life.  It didn’t matter that I live in a small prison cell because the light of Christ was able to reach through the bars and touch my soul and heal me.

 

As many are celebrating Thanksgiving with their families this year, I will be celebrating also as a member of the family of God.  I am thankful for all that God has done for me.

 

I am especially thankful that because of the love of Jesus for me, I once was lost but now am found! 

 

 

Greg Esparza  #179-450

Ohio State Penitentiary 

 

GOD IS YOUR SHIELD

                                                  He has a way to take you to victory

 

Fear and discouragement are two of the most powerful weapons that the enemy uses to bring believers down.  Although the power of Christ lives in us, the storms of life can fill us with hopelessness and anxiety as the lies of darkness attack our soul.   These fiery darts of evil attack our mind to magnify our problems and diminish the power of our God.  It is a lie from the depth of hell!

 

As difficult as it is to stand your ground in times of trouble, the fact is that Jesus is a powerful stronghold and a strong tower to run to for protection from the battle.  You absolutely cannot be defeated from an enemy that has been rendered powerless through the cross of Jesus Christ.  His death and resurrection finished the work of redemption and bought for us a promise of eternal life with him. 

 

In Psalm 107:28-28 we read, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed”.  Jesus alone has the power to still the storms in your life and quiet the waves of your troubles.  The darkness of your situation cannot diminish the light of Christ whose power has no limits.  The world around you may be crumbling but God will lift you out of your difficulties and set your feet upon a rock.  As you trust in him, your cries will be changed to songs of praise as you watch the right hand of God bring victory in your life and give you strength to stand in faith. 

 

As the days grow short and evil increases, the destroyer will try to rob you of your hope.  He will attempt to fill your mind with anxiousness and fear as you endure the struggles of this life.  If he can discourage you with his lies, he can make you ineffective for the kingdom of God.  Satan wants to make you feel defeated when Christ has made you more than a conqueror. That which comes against you is filtered through the Savior’s hand and he knows the good that he can accomplish through it. He can do what he says he can do.   

 

 There is nothing in this life that can stand against the purpose and plan God has for you.  It does not matter what the doctor’s report says for God alone has determined the number of your days. He does not care about what stage your cancer is in, his power will always be greater.  Your financial struggle is no match for our God who owns the world and everything in it. The pain and heartache you suffer will bring you nearer to God for he is close to the brokenhearted.  He will dry your tears and give you his perfect peace if you will keep your eyes on him.  God is the restorer of homes and families and he can heal your brokenness. Christ who died to give us the victory is a mighty force to be reckoned with. Years of addiction and bondage can be healed as you surrender your struggles to the nail pierced hands of Jesus.  He won’t fail so you can’t fail!

 

In the wake of all that you are going through, never surrender to the enemy!  Just trust and hold on to the nail pierced hands of Jesus who always has a plan and a promise you can trust.  He is with you right now.  You are never alone!

TAKE HEART WEARY CHRISTIAN

               Your God is with you!

The times we live in are difficult and a lot of us pass the day just hoping for the strength to get through it. There seems to be so much to do and so little time to get it all done. It is a financial struggle just to make ends meet and the future holds uncertainty.  Sickness and trouble are everywhere making it difficult to stand and believe.  Marriages and relationships are being attacked and addictions increase as truth is thrown to the ground.  Through it all we become so weary and wonder if God is really with us in the storm.

God is with us and he does care about our pain.  He has promised through his word to be our strength in all of our trials and sorrows.  In 2 Chronicles 16:9 of Scripture we read, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” .   The battles of this world belong to the Lord and he is able to keep us in the victory that was won by the cross of Christ.  Jesus told his disciples in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you”.  That means that he will bear our burdens and carry our sorrows.  No trial that we endure in life is a surprise to God for he knew from the foundation of the earth what struggles we would have.  He has promised that he would be the way through all of our problems and he is faithful.  The peace that Christ left us is divine, unchanging and perfect.  It is the assurance  that God gives us that he will walk with us in mighty power to overcome all obstacles in our life. 

There is not an addiction, an illness or a struggle we may face that is stronger than the God who loves and rescues us.  Not even death can separate us from the love that Christ has for each of us.  By his blood,  he paid the price that guarantees us victory over the darkness and the forces that seek to take us down.   Jesus told us to come to him and he will give us rest as he works all things out for our good. He is the Author of life and he can fulfill the perfect plan that he has for you. 

 This world and all that is in it is passing away, but the word of God is forever.  For that very reason, we must keep our eyes on the only thing that matters….eternity with Jesus Christ.  You must remember that today’s pain can never stop tomorrow’s promise bought by the blood of Jesus. 

In Job 19:25-26, we read that after losing his wealth, his children and his health, Job still cried out, “ I know my redeemer lives and he shall stand one day upon the earth.  And after my skin is destroyed this I know, that in my flesh, I shall see God.”  There is no greater faith than to stand on God’s promises when all seems lost.  Finally, in Psalm 46, we read that though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, God is still our refuge and strength and an ever-present help in trouble. 

The battles of this earth can make you feel weak and weary, but the truth is that God’s love for you will see you through until the end. It was God’s hand that formed you and it is God’s strength that can keep you in his perfect peace.  You don’t have to wait for Jesus to find a way to help you, he is the way!  Take heart my friends, for God is with you in your battle.  You can’t lose!

DYING WITH FAITH

                               The faith of a dying young man will live forever

 

When Thanksgiving comes around each year, it brings to my mind a very special young man who showed me the real meaning of trusting God. 

 

Two months before Thanksgiving in 2000, I was told that the Sutton family from our church had a seventeen year old son that had inoperable cancer and was not going to live long. I decided to visit this family and see if I could help out in any way.  As I was heading over to the house to visit and meet Chris, I remember wondering what I could say to this young man who was dying.  It was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. I entered the house and found Chris lying on a hospital bed in the family room with his mother by his side.  He looked up as I came in and gave me an awesome smile.  Then suddenly as if reading my mind he looked right at me and said, “Don’t worry about me.  I’m going home to Jesus and I am not afraid”.  His calmness and sense of joy took me by surprise. He was working on a present that he wanted to give to someone who was special to him and he asked me for my opinion.  It didn’t seem to affect his enthusiasm that he was weak or that his one eye was patched because the cancer, now in his brain, had damaged the eye.  Amazingly, Chris still seemed to radiate hope and light despite the fact that the cancer was destroying his body.

 

 I found out later that Chris never wavered in his faith despite the pain and the treatments he had to endure. He continued to encourage the young people of the church to trust in Jesus and many came to believe because of him. He stayed strong to the end even writing an encouraging eulogy that he wanted read at his funeral. His bible was engraved with the words, “No fears, no regrets” and that was how he lived.  Shortly before his death he asked his mother to order a sword to be put in his coffin with him.  Chris always trusted in the sword of the Spirit of God and even in death he wanted to honor the Savior that he loved so much. 

 

On Thanksgiving day, 2000, Chris Sutton went home to be with the Lord.  His years on this earth were so short but the legacy of faith that he left will live on until the Lord comes back.  To the ending hours of his life, Chris never feared dying and never stopped trusting in Jesus.  He understood so well what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”.  The peace that was with him to the end could only be from God and he taught me that this peace is for anyone who has put their faith in the finished work of the cross. 

 

Each Thanksgiving when I reflect on all that God has done, I remember and give thanks for Chris Sutton who proved that Jesus is with us at all times. Not even the throes of death can steal the joy of a true believer for God’s love will be with you to the end. 

 

God is with you now.  He knows your fears and will be all that you need. 

 

I am praying now for all those who needed to hear this message. 

 

 

 

THE CHRISTMAS TRUTH

                                    

Amid the frenzy of holiday shoppers all vying for the best sales on gifts, it is apparent that the real reason for Christmas is now just a detached story from the past. The truth of why the Son of God came down from heaven to be born in a manger has become commonplace as retail stores decide to take the name of Christ out of Christmas in their advertising verbiage lest someone be offended.

 

The fact is that over 2000 years ago, God so loved this world that He sent his one and only son to this earth.  Jesus was called Immanuel or God is with us.  He chose to leave the splendor of heaven to walk on this earth to bring hope to those who have none and life to those who are perishing.  He came to suffer and die so that he might purchase our salvation and offer it as a free gift to anyone who calls on his name.  He brought light and truth and showed the way to eternal life.  His work here bought us freedom from the bondages of sin and oppression.

 

Jesus said in John 8:32 that if you hold to his teachings then “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”.  No longer do you have to be a slave to sin and destructive behavior.  If you are a believer, you have the power to overcome all that seeks to destroy you.  John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.  There is no power stronger than that of Jesus Christ who died for us and was resurrected.  He is alive and his power and strength are there for you if you put your trust in him.  There is nothing that can defeat a child of the living God.  Nothing can overcome you or destroy you for your redemption was made at the cross.  You may stumble as the storms in this life come against you, but you will only fall into the hands of the Savior who has promised never to leave you.  Painful trials can only strengthen and refine you in the race that God has set for you.  They will always be used for your good for there is power in all that God allows in your life.  You do not need to understand the reason; you just need to trust that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 1:6)

 

You must always remember that the God who created you did so with great love.  He knew in advance what your failures and weaknesses would be.  He knew how you would sin and rebel against him.  He knew that you would defy him. Yet there is absolutely nothing you could do that would ever stop his love for you.  It was this love that sent Jesus to this earth to humbly be born in a stable.  And it was love that made Jesus die so that we may live.

 

We may not be able to stop those who attempt to take Christ out of Christmas, but by God’s own promise, they will never be able to take the love out of Christ!